Tensions Surface in Trump-MBS Talks as Saudi Pushes Back on Israel Normalisation
White House meeting between President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman revealed friction over Saudi-Israel tie-up despite public warmth
President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a high-profile meeting at the White House last week, where despite public displays of friendship, private discussions turned tense as Saudi Arabia resisted immediate entry into the Abraham Accords with Israel.
According to U.S. officials cited by Axios, Trump expressed his expectation that the kingdom would join the Accords now that the Gaza war has concluded and Iran’s nuclear programme has come under pressure.
Crown Prince bin Salman reaffirmed Saudi intent to normalise with Israel eventually, but insisted that public Saudi opinion—and his own position—required a clear and irreversible pathway to a Palestinian state before such a move.
The divergence over Israel was not the only topic of the visit.
The announcements that followed included multibillion-dollar Saudi investment pledges into the United States, potential access for Saudi Arabia to the U.S. F-35 stealth fighter jet programme, and an elevated defence relationship branding Riyadh a key U.S. partner.
But even as these deals were celebrated, the under-the-surface disagreement over Israel’s role weighed heavily.
Trump, displaying optimism, publicly said bin Salman responded positively to the idea of normalisation.
However, U.S. sources described the tone behind closed doors as “disappointment and irritation,” noting the president’s efforts to cajole the crown prince met ambiguities.
The Saudi leader emphasised that the kingdom was not ready for normalisation without guarantees of Palestinian statehood, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected—capturing one of the central obstacles in the negotiations.
Analysts suggest that while the United States is placing normalisation with Saudi Arabia at the centre of its Middle-East strategy, Riyadh is leveraging the moment to extract maximum military and economic concessions while maintaining strategic autonomy.
In public, the visit showcased strong U.S.–Saudi ties; in private, it revealed lingering divides over the region’s diplomatic architecture.
With Trump pressing for a breakthrough, the next steps will depend on whether the kingdom will accept a timeline for Israeli–Saudi normalisation—or continue to insist on Palestinian progress first.
According to U.S. officials cited by Axios, Trump expressed his expectation that the kingdom would join the Accords now that the Gaza war has concluded and Iran’s nuclear programme has come under pressure.
Crown Prince bin Salman reaffirmed Saudi intent to normalise with Israel eventually, but insisted that public Saudi opinion—and his own position—required a clear and irreversible pathway to a Palestinian state before such a move.
The divergence over Israel was not the only topic of the visit.
The announcements that followed included multibillion-dollar Saudi investment pledges into the United States, potential access for Saudi Arabia to the U.S. F-35 stealth fighter jet programme, and an elevated defence relationship branding Riyadh a key U.S. partner.
But even as these deals were celebrated, the under-the-surface disagreement over Israel’s role weighed heavily.
Trump, displaying optimism, publicly said bin Salman responded positively to the idea of normalisation.
However, U.S. sources described the tone behind closed doors as “disappointment and irritation,” noting the president’s efforts to cajole the crown prince met ambiguities.
The Saudi leader emphasised that the kingdom was not ready for normalisation without guarantees of Palestinian statehood, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected—capturing one of the central obstacles in the negotiations.
Analysts suggest that while the United States is placing normalisation with Saudi Arabia at the centre of its Middle-East strategy, Riyadh is leveraging the moment to extract maximum military and economic concessions while maintaining strategic autonomy.
In public, the visit showcased strong U.S.–Saudi ties; in private, it revealed lingering divides over the region’s diplomatic architecture.
With Trump pressing for a breakthrough, the next steps will depend on whether the kingdom will accept a timeline for Israeli–Saudi normalisation—or continue to insist on Palestinian progress first.
