WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will visit the White House on November 18 for an official working meeting with United States President Donald Trump, a White House official confirmed on Monday.
The visit comes as President Trump renews efforts to persuade Riyadh to join the Abraham Accords — agreements that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.
While Trump recently told *CBS’ 60 Minutes* that he believes Saudi Arabia will “ultimately join” the accords, the kingdom has maintained hesitation, insisting on progress toward a Palestinian state before taking such a step.
Officials also indicated that the leaders may discuss a potential U.S.-Saudi defense agreement. According to the sources, both sides are considering signing the deal during the crown prince’s visit, though details remain uncertain.
A senior Trump administration official told *Reuters* that discussions about “signing something” were ongoing but that “details are in flux.”
Saudi Arabia is seeking stronger U.S. security guarantees and access to advanced weaponry. The kingdom remains one of America’s largest defense customers, with their relationship historically built on an oil-for-security arrangement.
During Trump’s 2017 visit to Riyadh, the two nations signed a massive $142 billion arms deal, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged investments worth $600 billion — to which Trump famously replied that it “should be $1 trillion".
