Trump to visit Saudi Arabia to sign USD 1 trillion deal with crown prince MBS for…, massive investment in…

Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, US-Saudi relations have started getting back on track.

US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he will be visiting Saudi Arabia on his first bilateral foreign trip. Interestingly, during his first term, his first bilateral visit was also to Saudi Arabia. While announcing his travel plans, Trump stated that during the visit, he will sign agreements worth USD 1 trillion in investments between Saudi Arabia and US companies. He is planning to visit Riyadh in the next one and a half months.

Speaking to journalists at the Oval Office, Trump mentioned that Saudi Arabia has agreed to make massive investments during his tenure. He also emphasized that Saudi Arabia will invest in American defence and military equipment companies. Trump humorously remarked, “I told them, if you invest USD 1 trillion in US companies, I will visit… and they agreed!”

While addressing the media, Trump highlighted his strong relationship with Saudi Arabia, calling it a “great friendship.” He also praised Saudi Arabia, saying it has been “very good” to him.

Saudi Arabia and US relations

During his first presidential term, Donald Trump had stated that if Saudi Arabia committed to massive investments in the US, he would kick off his second term with a visit to Riyadh. Now, staying true to his words, Trump has announced his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, reinforcing his strong ties with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Trump and Prince Salman have shared a close relationship, even during controversial times. Notably, during Trump’s presidency, Saudi-origin American journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in Turkey, and Prince Salman was accused of orchestrating it. Despite global pressure, Trump refused to take action against the Saudi leadership. However, when Joe Biden took office, his administration declassified a secret report on the killing, straining relations between Washington and Riyadh.

Announcing his upcoming visit, Trump reminded everyone that during his first term, Saudi Arabia had already committed USD 450 billion in investments to American companies. He also noted that Saudi Arabia’s wealth has grown significantly.

Trump’s visit comes at a crucial time when Saudi Arabia and the U.S. continue to strengthen their economic ties in defense and other key sectors. However, during Biden’s presidency, Saudi Arabia built closer ties with China. When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Riyadh, Prince Salman rolled out the red carpet, while Biden was met with a cold reception during his visit.

Saudi Arabia rebuilds ties with Donald Trump

Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, US-Saudi relations have started getting back on track. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy, has confirmed that Saudi Arabia will host a high-level meeting next week between U.S. and Ukrainian officials to discuss the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

The US-Saudi investment agreement is expected to strengthen economic cooperation between the two nations. Massive investments are likely in defense and military components sectors, further deepening their strategic partnership.