Trump to Host Saudi Crown Prince in Washington Amid Strategic Realignment

Donald Trump is preparing to receive Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, for what could be the first state visit by a foreign leader to the U.S. during Trump’s second term. 

Dates and Agenda

The visit is tentatively scheduled for November 17-19, 2025, though officials say the schedule may shift.  According to sources familiar with the planning, the visit will encompass a series of high-level discussions and agreement-signing ceremonies covering defence, trade and diplomatic cooperation. 

Strategic Importance

The trip underscores a renewed U.S.–Saudi push to deepen strategic ties amid a volatile Middle East. Key topics likely include commercial and investment deals under the previous “Strategic Economic Partnership” signed during Trump’s May 2025 visit to Riyadh, as well as a possible bilateral security pact long sought by Saudi Arabia. 

The planned meeting comes against a backdrop of regional tensions involving Iran, the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and the broader question of Saudi participation in the Abraham Accords. Trump has publicly urged Saudi Arabia to join the accords, though Riyadh maintains participation depends on progress toward a Palestinian state. 

Historical Context

This visit would mark the Crown Prince’s first time at the White House since 2018. That year, U.S. intelligence concluded that Prince Mohammed likely ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a matter that continues to cast a shadow over U.S.–Saudi relations. 

Trump and the Crown Prince have maintained warm personal rapport—Donald Trump described U.S.–Saudi ties as “a bedrock of security and prosperity” during his May 2025 Middle East trip. 

What to Watch For

Observers will be looking for:

• Agreement announcements: especially in defence, energy, AI and infrastructure investment.
• Policy shifts: indications that the U.S. may alter its posture toward Iran or the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in light of Saudi cooperation.
• Symbolic diplomacy: how the visit is presented publicly will signal the depth of the partnership.

Risks and Critiques

Critics caution that the optics of hosting the Crown Prince in Washington may raise ethical and human-rights questions given his role in the Khashoggi affair. Others highlight that the rapid commercialisation of U.S.–Saudi ties could provoke domestic backlash in both countries.

Bottom line: The visit signals more than a ceremonial handshake—it’s a moment of recalibration. If delivered as planned, it could reset the U.S.–Saudi axis for the next decade. But the devil will be in the details—and in how both sides balance ambition, accountability and global optics.