In a rare occurrence inside the White House, US cavalry units appeared in front of the south entrance during the reception of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Washington, in a move considered one of the highest levels of military honor that the United States offers to a foreign leader, according to official protocol rules.
This type of ceremony is based on what diplomatic circles call the “Full Honors Arrival Ceremony,” the highest category of reception in American protocol, and combines: a mounted unit, an honor guard, flag formations, a military band, a red carpet, and a South Lawn ceremony.
U.S. military regulations (Army Regulation 600-25) and the U.S. Department of Defense Protocol Manual indicate that the participation of cavalry is limited to receiving heads of state and first-class strategic partners, as a symbol of respect and recognition of the guest's status.
The White House has rarely employed such a high degree of military ceremony except on a handful of occasions for leaders of global stature. The appearance of Saudi flags alongside American cavalry sends a clear message that Washington views Riyadh as a pivotal power in the region's balance of power and an indispensable partner on matters of security, energy, and international politics.
These ceremonies are consistent with what is documented by the American Presidential History Association, which indicates that cavalry is called upon for occasions of great strategic importance.
This reception comes amid a visit that carries profound political and economic implications; it reflects the Crown Prince’s presence in Washington as a leader who is reshaping Saudi Arabia’s position on the international map, and he is viewed within the Kingdom as the leader of the modern century and the architect of the most extensive transformation in the country’s modern history.
The scene that brought together horsemen, flags, military guards, and the presence of the American president was a "public affirmation" of Saudi Arabia's status and role, and a message that the relationship between Washington and Riyadh has roots that extend back more than eight decades, since the meeting between King Abdulaziz and President Franklin Roosevelt in 1945, and continues today with renewed momentum.
