Washington: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a notably warm welcome in Washington this week, showing a clear shift from the strained relations he once faced in the United States Congress. The crown prince met President Donald J. Trump and key lawmakers as both sides opened a new chapter focused on investment, security and technology cooperation.
During the visit, the crown prince pledged to increase Saudi investments in the United States to one trillion dollars, far higher than previous commitments. Officials from both countries also discussed closer collaboration in artificial intelligence, defence industries and energy projects.
Another important development was the signing of an initial civil nuclear cooperation agreement between the two nations. The agreement currently excludes uranium enrichment and fuel reprocessing, activities that could move a country closer to developing nuclear weapons. Even so, several US lawmakers have called for strong safeguards to ensure that any expansion of the deal does not trigger a regional arms race.
The improvement in ties comes despite long standing criticism of Mohammed bin Salman over the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Although US intelligence agencies had earlier said the crown prince was likely aware of the operation, the current administration has softened its stance. Human rights groups and some legislators have questioned this change and stressed that accountability should not be ignored.
Defence cooperation was also central to the discussions. The United States has indicated readiness to move ahead with a sale of F35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, a decision that could influence the military balance in the Middle East. Experts say this may raise concerns in Israel and Iran but aligns with Washingtons strategy of strengthening its ties with Riyadh.
The crown princes visit highlights his efforts to rebuild global relationships while pushing forward Saudi Arabias economic ambitions. For the United States, the renewed warmth reflects its aim to maintain close ties with Saudi Arabia at a time of shifting power dynamics in the region.
In a separate development during the visit, President Trump said the crown prince urged him to take action to help end Sudans ongoing civil war. Trump admitted the conflict had not been a priority for his administration but said, “we started 30 minutes after you explained the great importance of that,” signalling possible new US involvement in efforts to ease the crisis.