F-35 fighter jets roared over the White House on Tuesday as the United States staged a powerful welcome for Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who arrived in Washington to meet President Donald Trump his first visit since 2017.
The high-profile meeting is expected to focus on defence cooperation, a planned US sale of F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia, expanding trade and investment, and Trump’s push to bring Riyadh into the Abraham Accords by normalising ties with Israel.
The Crown Prince announced that the Kingdom will unveil expanded investment opportunities during the visit, with new agreements in sectors such as technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced materials. “Saudi-U.S. relations span nearly nine decades, and today marks an especially important moment as both countries look toward the future. Saudi Arabia believes in America’s economic direction and the foundations being set for growth and global stability,” he said.
He highlighted that the investment opportunities are substantial and practical. “We are not creating opportunities just to please America. These are real opportunities. For example, Saudi Arabia has a huge demand for unique computing power, and we plan to spend around USD 50 billion in the short term on semiconductors for use in the Kingdom,” bin Salman added.
On regional issues, the Crown Prince stressed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to strong relations across the Middle East and expressed interest in joining the Abraham Accords, while underscoring the need for a clear path toward a two-state solution with Israel. “We believe maintaining good relations with all Middle Eastern countries is positive. We want to be part of the Abraham Accord, but we also want to ensure a clear path to a two-state solution. Today we had a healthy discussion with the President to work toward preparing the right conditions as soon as possible,” he said.
This visit is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s first trip to Washington since the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
With Inputs from ANI
