The visit follows the president’s announcement that he plans to approve the sale of F-35 stealth jets to Saudi Arabia.
WASHINGTON—Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said during his meeting with President Donald Trump on Nov. 18 that he will boost the investment partnership with the United States from $600 billion to $1 trillion.
The crown prince told reporters that an announcement would be made today and tomorrow regarding the new investment commitment. The investments will focus on what he described as “real opportunities” in areas such as artificial intelligence and magnets.
Trump welcomed the commitment from Saudi Arabia, saying, “I’m glad you got that out. I didn’t want to be the one to tell them, but that’s great news.”
Bin Salman responded, with a smile, “You keep increasing Mr. President, each time the opportunities are increasing more and more.”
Trump is hosting the crown prince at the White House, marking the crown prince’s first visit to the presidential residence in seven years.
Trump greeted the crown prince with a welcome ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House that included a flyover of six U.S. fighter jets—three F-35s and three F-15s.
Following the ceremony, the president walked the crown prince along the new “Presidential Walk of Fame” he created along the West Wing Colonnade.
The two leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of bilateral and regional issues during their meetings in the Oval Office, which will be followed by a bilateral lunch in the Cabinet Room, according to the White House.
Tonight, the president and the first lady will host the crown prince at a formal dinner in the East Room.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a Nov. 17 post on X that the crown prince, widely known as MBS, would meet Trump “to discuss bilateral relations, ways to strengthen them across various fields, and issues of mutual interest.”
The crown prince’s working visit comes a day after Trump said he intends to approve the sale of advanced F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, a move that would significantly expand the kingdom’s military capabilities.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, he said, “I am planning on doing it. They’ve been a great ally … we’ll be selling F-35s.”
By Evgenia Filimianova and Emel Akan
