Overview
- Tuesday’s ceremonies marked Mohammed bin Salman’s first White House visit since 2018, with a military flyover and gala events underscoring his public rehabilitation in Washington.
- Trump defended the crown prince over Jamal Khashoggi’s 2018 killing, asserting MBS “knew nothing,” despite prior U.S. intelligence findings that he likely approved the operation.
- The president said he supports selling F-35s to Saudi Arabia, a move expected to face congressional review and security concerns over technology exposure and Israel’s qualitative military edge.
- MBS said Saudi investment in the United States will rise from $600 billion to nearly $1 trillion, and officials set a Kennedy Center summit with major CEOs for potential deals in AI and other sectors.
- Riyadh is seeking security guarantees and civil nuclear cooperation, and MBS reiterated that normalization with Israel hinges on a clear path to a Palestinian state as rights groups press for reforms.