When Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with US President Donald Trump in Washington next week, expect big investments and fanfare.
But beneath the pomp, what’s really at stake is Riyadh’s role in the new regional security architecture taking shape across the Middle East. The kingdom’s global standing — often framed as in need of repair — has long been restored. Saudi’s de facto ruler and Trump are planning the future of the US-Saudi relationship for decades to come.
Israeli wars against Iran and its proxies have redrawn the geopolitical map, a reality officials in the region acknowledge privately even if it’s taboo to say aloud, with Washington now afforded a once-in-a-generation opportunity to stabilize “one of the world’s most violent regions,” according to a Foreign Affairs essay. Although normalization with Israel isn’t expected soon — Saudi Arabia insists a path toward Palestinian statehood is a prerequisite — Trump has brought it up with the crown prince, Axios reported.
As for the deals, the most significant announcement is expected to be an executive order for a US-Saudi defense pact, mirroring guarantees recently extended to Qatar. Open questions remain over advanced weapons transfers, such as F-35 stealth fighter jets and AI chips, as well as cooperation on civil nuclear power.