Mohammed bin Salman arrives in Washington for high-stakes talks on Israel normalisation, defence and investment with President Donald Trump
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is scheduled to visit the White House on November 18 to meet with U.S. President
Donald Trump, a senior U.S. official confirmed.
The working visit comes amid renewed momentum in U.S.–Saudi diplomacy as both nations explore deeper economic, military and regional alignments.
President Trump has publicly expressed confidence that Saudi Arabia will join the Abraham Accords—despite Riyadh’s longstanding precondition linking normalisation with Israel to the creation of a Palestinian state.
In a recent interview the President said: “I think he’s going to join… I don’t know if it’s going to be two-state, that’s going to be up to Israel — and other people, and me.”
In addition to potential diplomatic breakthroughs on Middle East peace, the agenda in Washington is expected to include a U.S.–Saudi defence agreement.
Reports indicate the two sides are preparing to sign new accords covering intelligence sharing, advanced weaponry and joint strategic frameworks.
A senior U.S. official described the deal’s elements as “in flux,” though the timing coincides with the Crown Prince’s visit.
Saudi Arabia has made no public alteration to its position that Palestinian statehood must precede full normalisation with Israel, so observers view the upcoming meeting as the high-stakes finale of multiple negotiation lanes.
President Trump’s push for Saudi inclusion in the accords forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen regional alliances and counter adversarial influence in the Gulf.
The visit marks the Crown Prince’s first major appearance in Washington since 2018 and represents a key test of U.S.–Saudi relations at a time of shifting geopolitics and heightened economic ties.