Washington: President Donald Trump is set to welcome Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), in Washington on Tuesday, marking a dramatic comeback in U.S.–Saudi relations and opening the door to major defense and commercial agreements. According to a Reuters report, MBS’s visit his first to the U.S. since the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi will feature high-level talks, a formal dinner and a number of business deals centered on jets, technology and nuclear energy.
The cornerstone of the visit is an anticipated U.S. offer to sell the advanced F-35 fighter jet to Saudi Arabia an unprecedented move that would represent a significant shift in U.S. defense policy in the Middle East. Trump himself was quoted saying “We’ll be selling” F-35s to the Saudis, who have requested 48 units. This potential sale raises major questions about America’s traditional guarantee of Israel’s “qualitative military edge” in the region.
Beyond defense, the visit aims to convert a previously announced $600 billion Saudi investment pledge into tangible business. A senior White House official told Reuters that deals across defense, technology, manufacturing and more are expected to be inked. The premium placed on these deals underscores Trump’s strategy of tying foreign-policy outreach to large-scale economic returns for the U.S.
Trump’s diplomatic agenda also features a broader geopolitical aim: ensuring Saudi Arabia remains aligned with the United States rather than drifting into China’s orbit. Former U.S. negotiator Dennis Ross commented that Trump wants “to develop a multifaceted relationship that keeps Saudi out of China’s sphere.” Also on the table is pressure on Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords and formally normalize ties with Israel a cornerstone of Trump’s Middle East peace strategy though the Saudis remain cautious without a clear path to Palestinian statehood.
Analysts suggest that the warm reception of MBS signals that Washington and Riyadh believe relations have sufficiently recovered from the Khashoggi crisis, despite lingering global concern over human-rights issues. For Trump, the stakes are high: the visit offers an opportunity to both deepen military cooperation and deliver economic achievements before year-end that could bolster his foreign-policy credentials.
In short, the Washington visit by MBS may be less about ceremony and more about deal-making, strategic realignment and defence diplomacy. With fighter jets, nuclear ambition, and massive investment pledges on the table, this could mark a significant shift in U.S.–Saudi relations and Middle East geopolitics.