Saudi Crown Prince bin Salman will visit Trump on Nov 18, White House official says
US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince and PM Mohammed Bin Salman shake hands during a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. - REUTERS/Filepic
WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will be at the White House on November 18 for an official working visit with U.S. President Donald Trump, a White House official said on Monday.
AI Brief
- Trump is urging Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords despite their concerns over Palestinian statehood.
- Talks are underway for a US-Saudi defense agreement, including formal security guarantees and advanced weapons access.
- Saudi Arabia remains a top US arms buyer, with a recent US$142 billion deal reinforcing long-standing oil-for-security ties.
The Saudis have been hesitant to join in the absence of steps toward Palestinian statehood.
Trump told CBS' "60 Minutes" in an interview broadcast on Sunday that he believed the Saudis would ultimately join the accords.
Trump and bin Salman may also discuss a U.S.-Saudi defense agreement. The Financial Times reported two weeks ago that there were hopes the two countries could sign such an agreement during bin Salman's visit.
A senior Trump administration official told Reuters that "there are discussions about signing something when the crown prince comes, but details are in flux."
The Saudis have sought formal U.S. guarantees to defend the kingdom as well as access to more advanced U.S. weaponry.
Saudi Arabia is one of the largest customers for U.S. arms, and the two countries have maintained strong ties for decades based on an arrangement in which the kingdom delivers oil and Washington provides security.
During Trump's visit to Riyadh in May, the United States agreed to sell Saudi Arabia an arms package worth nearly us$142 billion.
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