Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Washington visit delivers major defense and economic gains as the Trump administration resets relations with Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman left Washington this week with a portfolio of landmark agreements that underscored the renewed strength of the U.S.–Saudi partnership under President
Donald Trump.
After years of strained ties, the visit signaled Riyadh’s near-complete diplomatic rehabilitation and Washington’s determination to anchor the Kingdom firmly in its strategic orbit.
Across meetings at the White House and the U.S.–Saudi Investment Forum, the Kingdom pledged nearly one trillion dollars in new investments into the American economy, spanning advanced semiconductors, artificial intelligence infrastructure, critical minerals, clean-energy systems and large-scale data centers.
In parallel, the United States moved forward with plans to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, describing the aircraft as “pretty similar” to those used by Israel, while designating the Kingdom a Major Non-NATO Ally to formalize closer defense ties.
The Trump administration also advanced agreements on nuclear-energy cooperation, approved the sale of advanced chips for AI applications and signed a new Strategic Defense Agreement with Riyadh.
These steps reflect the president’s strategic vision of deepening alliances that support American industry, secure global supply chains and strengthen regional deterrence.
Not all Saudi requests were granted.
Washington stopped short of offering permission for domestic uranium enrichment and did not issue a formal mutual-defense commitment—both of which would require broader political consensus.
Still, Riyadh secured nearly every other element it has sought for years, from privileged defense access to investment-driven technology partnerships.
The developments highlight Saudi Arabia’s expanding global influence as it navigates major-power competition to its advantage.
They also demonstrate Trump’s willingness to advance a comprehensive partnership unencumbered by the diplomatic hesitations of previous administrations.
The result is a rapidly evolving bilateral agenda centered on defense modernization, energy transformation and the technologies shaping the next generation of economic power.