Saudi Crown Prince’s Washington Visit Aims to Advance Defence, AI and Nuclear Cooperation
Mohammed bin Salman meets President Donald Trump to cement strategic ties and align with Saudi Vision 2030
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia is undertaking a major visit to the United States, his first since 2018, meeting President Donald Trump in Washington as both nations seek to deepen cooperation on defence, artificial intelligence and civilian nuclear development.
The engagement forms a key pillar of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 agenda and the broader US Gulf-Arab strategic partnership.
A full spectrum of engagements is anticipated during the two-day visit, beginning with an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn, followed by an Oval Office meeting, a signing ceremony and an East Room dinner.
On the agenda are high-stakes items including a potential defence pact comparable to the agreement Washington signed with Qatar earlier this year, access to advanced military platforms such as F-35 jets and expanded collaboration in AI, smart infrastructure and advanced data systems.
While Saudi Arabia seeks a definitive pact to anchor its security architecture, Washington appears set to offer an executive-order style agreement that stops short of full treaty-level obligations.
The two sides face strategic issues such as Riyadh’s insistence that normalisation with Israel entail Palestinian statehood and the United States’ legislative constraints on foreign military sales and nuclear technology transfers.
For Saudi Arabia, the visit supports its economic diversification strategy, positioning the Kingdom as a technology and innovation hub in the Middle East.
For the United States, it offers a chance to reinforce its role in the region and align with a key partner under President Trump’s broader global security and industrial agenda.
The engagement forms a key pillar of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 agenda and the broader US Gulf-Arab strategic partnership.
A full spectrum of engagements is anticipated during the two-day visit, beginning with an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn, followed by an Oval Office meeting, a signing ceremony and an East Room dinner.
On the agenda are high-stakes items including a potential defence pact comparable to the agreement Washington signed with Qatar earlier this year, access to advanced military platforms such as F-35 jets and expanded collaboration in AI, smart infrastructure and advanced data systems.
While Saudi Arabia seeks a definitive pact to anchor its security architecture, Washington appears set to offer an executive-order style agreement that stops short of full treaty-level obligations.
The two sides face strategic issues such as Riyadh’s insistence that normalisation with Israel entail Palestinian statehood and the United States’ legislative constraints on foreign military sales and nuclear technology transfers.
For Saudi Arabia, the visit supports its economic diversification strategy, positioning the Kingdom as a technology and innovation hub in the Middle East.
For the United States, it offers a chance to reinforce its role in the region and align with a key partner under President Trump’s broader global security and industrial agenda.
