CHICAGO: The official state visit of the Saudi crown prince to the US on Tuesday advanced the Kingdom’s blueprint to energize its economy, reinforce its regional leadership and strengthen its international relations.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was greeted at the White House by US President Donald Trump, who called him “my friend,” as well as “one of the most respected leaders in the world” and “a great ally.”
During their press conference, Trump praised Saudi Arabia while the crown prince said their meeting represents “a new chapter in our relationship that will be good for both of us.”
The crown prince and his entourage will participate in two days of high-level meetings with leaders of Congress and powerful American CEOs.
At the top of the meeting agendas are intended agreements on aligning both countries’ strategic needs while redefining the political dynamics of the Middle East. In a major breakthrough, Trump announced approval for the long-sought Saudi request to obtain F-35 fighter jets to strengthen the Kingdom’s security.
The deal would provide 48 of them to Saudi Arabia, making it the first Arab country to have the advanced fighter jets. During the red-carpet reception, as the president and crown prince stood together in front of the White House, six F-35s flew overhead, a rare high-level salute to a visiting foreign dignitary that underscored a powerful symbolic emphasis on the importance Trump places on Saudi Arabia.
The Vision 2030 reform plan is attracting significant business to the Kingdom, which is why stronger relations with the US are critical now, observers believe. Foreign domestic investment into Saudi Arabia has grown in recent years.
Attendants at the black-tie White House dinner will explore and advance the Kingdom’s goals to reinforce its economic and business achievements.
The Saudi-US Investment Forum, to be held at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday and hosted by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Investment, will bring CEOs from both countries together to expand and strengthen economic ties, including in technology, and create and solidify new partnerships.
US-Saudi economic relations since 1999 have grown exponentially to $40 billion in goods and services in 2024, making the Kingdom America’s 31st-largest trading partner.
Saudi Arabia has invested hundreds of billions of dollars in the US, and that is expected to grow significantly as a consequence of the visit.
One area that might benefit from Trump’s strategic alliance with Saudi Arabia is the quest for peace in the Middle East.
On Monday, the UN Security Council accepted his plan for post-war Gaza that includes a “pathway” to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The crown prince said “strong relations between America and Saudi Arabia are bad for extremism” and will bring peace to the region.
“Having good relations with all countries is a good thing,” he said. “We want peace for the Israelis. We want peace for the Palestinians. We want peace for the region.”
