Overview
- An Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is set for Nov. 18, according to the White House.
- The following day, a Saudi-hosted investment summit is expected at the Kennedy Center, co-hosted by the Saudi Ministry of Investment and the U.S.-Saudi Business Council.
- The summit is planned on the sidelines of the trip and is not on the crown prince’s official schedule, and it remains unclear if Trump or MBS will attend.
- Talks are advancing on a U.S. security guarantee modeled on the recent executive-order pledge to Qatar, which could be reversed by a future administration.
- Negotiations also cover a large weapons package sought by Riyadh, including F-35 fighter jets, with preparatory meetings in Washington and a recent Kushner visit to Riyadh supporting broader discussions that include potential Israeli-Saudi normalization.