Saudi Crown Prince MBS set to visit Trump at White House
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) will travel to Washington, DC, on November 18 for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, the White House confirmed — marking the Saudi leader’s first visit to the United States capital since 2017.
The meeting comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to expand the Abraham Accords, the diplomatic agreements forged in 2020 that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states, including the UAE and Bahrain. While President Trump has repeatedly expressed confidence that Saudi Arabia will eventually join the accords, Riyadh maintains it will only normalize ties with Israel if there is a credible path toward an independent Palestinian state, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.
A senior U.S. official told Reuters that the two sides are considering signing agreements during the visit, though details remain under discussion. Reports earlier this month suggested that a potential defense pact could be among the key items on the table.
The United States and Saudi Arabia remain close strategic allies, particularly in defense and security cooperation. During Trump’s earlier term, the two nations signed multibillion-dollar arms deals, including a $142 billion package announced during the U.S. president’s 2017 trip to Riyadh.
MBS’s visit also follows reported diplomatic engagement between Saudi and Iranian officials, signaling Riyadh’s continued balancing act in a region shaped by shifting alliances and ongoing conflict — including the war in Gaza and tensions across the Gulf.
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