Overview
- In the Oval Office, Trump said MBS "didn't know" about Jamal Khashoggi's murder and rebuked an ABC reporter, despite a CIA assessment that the crown prince authorized the operation.
- Trump announced the U.S. will sell F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia, a move still subject to congressional review that has prompted objections from the Pentagon and Israel over technology risks and Israel’s qualitative edge.
- MBS said Saudi investments in the United States would climb to as much as $1 trillion, as talks covered artificial intelligence, advanced chips and civilian nuclear cooperation.
- The White House is pursuing a security arrangement for Riyadh by presidential order modeled on a recent pact with Qatar, which would bypass Congress but could be reversed by a future administration.
- The rollout revived scrutiny of Trump-family business ties to Saudi entities, while Riyadh linked any entry into the Abraham Accords to a clear path toward a two-state solution.