US President Donald Trump will receive Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House with official honors, including a performance by US military bands on the White House South Lawn. Trump announced on Friday that his meeting with the Crown Prince was not just an ordinary one, but a tribute to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its role in regional stability, and a tribute to Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Following the official reception on the South Lawn of the White House, the US president and his distinguished guest will proceed to the Oval Office for talks covering a range of issues. Trump and the First Lady are scheduled to host a lavish dinner, to which the White House has advised guests to wear black ties. CNN, citing White House sources, reported that the guest list includes most of the CEOs of major American companies. CNN also noted that Trump personally contacted some of the invitees to attend the dinner. Although the visit, agreed upon before Prince Mohammed bin Salman's arrival in Washington, was officially classified as a "working visit," the White House decided to treat it as a "state visit." It is customary for the First Lady's office to organize state visit dinners. This high-level ceremony will mark Trump's first state visit to a US ally since his inauguration in January 2025.
White House officials said President Trump is looking forward to welcoming the Crown Prince to the White House. Sources in Washington revealed that intensive negotiations between the Saudi and American sides continued until shortly before Prince Mohammed bin Salman's arrival in Washington, in order to finalize the agreements that the US President and the Crown Prince are scheduled to sign in the Trump administration's Cabinet Room.
The New York Times wrote in its Monday edition that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has brought about significant changes in his country, most notably the measures he has taken to remove legal and bureaucratic obstacles. The newspaper added that the Crown Prince has also implemented major changes in other areas, including diversifying the Saudi economy, investing heavily in renewable energy, opening the country to foreign tourists, and promoting culture, entertainment, and exhibitions. The New York Times further stated that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has initiated profound transformations in the Kingdom.
Important pivotal moment
Washington commentators and columnists agreed yesterday that the talks between Trump and the Crown Prince at the White House today will strengthen the longstanding cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the areas of energy and security. This will pave the way for broader cooperation in trade, technology, and nuclear energy. They predicted that the Oval Office talks today will focus on security cooperation, technological partnerships, and the situation in the Middle East.
They said that Prince Mohammed bin Salman is coming to Washington at a pivotal moment, as Saudi Arabia undergoes a sweeping economic transformation aimed at reducing its dependence on oil revenues alone, through an ambitious plan known as "Saudi Vision 2030." The Kingdom will continue to bolster its substantial investments in the United States.
1000 financial leaders at the investment conference
An investment conference is scheduled to take place on Wednesday at the John F. Kennedy Center to build upon the understandings reached during the Future Investment Initiative conference recently held in Riyadh. It is worth noting that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bassett met last week in Washington with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), who is leading a large delegation to the Kennedy Center conference. Al-Rumayyan stated in Washington last September that approximately 80% of the PIF's capital is currently invested within the Kingdom, while the remainder is invested abroad. He added that the sovereign wealth fund is keen to seize opportunities for joint investment with global partners as part of a broader effort to bring capital and expertise back to the Kingdom. Around 1,000 financial leaders are expected to participate in the Kennedy Center conference, along with all members of the ministerial delegation accompanying the Crown Prince.
Security and prosperity
Yasmin Farouk, the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula program director at the International Crisis Group, told NPR yesterday that the shared focus of both Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on economic relations, trade, and economic growth will be a significant factor in the success of their Oval Office talks. She said, "They understand each other; they speak the same language." She added that Trump and the Crown Prince also speak the same language when it comes to conflicts and regional security. They both want to end wars and move the region from insecurity to prosperity. A key topic of discussion in the Oval Office will be the Kingdom's ambition to become a major player in the global field of artificial intelligence. Humane, a company owned by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, recently announced that Saudi Arabia aims to become the world's third-largest provider of AI services, after the United States and China. Fortune magazine quoted a Trump administration official as saying that the Saudis are likely to endorse Trump's 20-point Middle East peace plan as a starting point for the establishment of a Palestinian state. On the other hand, Reuters yesterday considered Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to Washington a testament to the enduring historical ties between the two countries. It added that the Crown Prince is considered one of the most prominent Saudi leaders in its modern history. Reuters quoted Paul Salem, an expert at the Middle East Institute, as saying that despite the difficult times that have sometimes passed, Saudi Arabia and the United States have remained committed to their relationship, which is traditionally based on energy and defense interests, and to which artificial intelligence has now been added.
