US President Donald Trump set aside years of diplomatic tension as he welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman back to the White House, his first visit since the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The meeting marked a dramatic reset in US–Saudi relations and came with big business announcements, strategic defence deals, and fresh criticism from human rights advocates.
Here are the five biggest takeaways from the high-stakes visit.
1. Trump dismisses US intelligence on Khashoggi killing
In one of the most striking moments, Trump openly rejected the long-standing US intelligence assessment that Crown Prince Mohammed had likely approved the operation that killed Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Trump played down the findings, called Khashoggi “extremely controversial,” and insisted the crown prince “knew nothing about it.”
He even rebuked reporters for asking about the murder, saying there was no need to “embarrass our guest.”
US intelligence agencies, however, have maintained (since a 2021 declassified report) that the crown prince was likely involved. MBS repeated that Saudi Arabia had taken all “proper steps” to investigate the killing, calling it a “painful” and “huge mistake”.
2. Saudis unveil a massive jump in investments — USD 1 trillion
The crown prince used the Oval Office moment to announce that Saudi investments in the US would now grow to USD 1 trillion, a huge increase from the USD 600 billion previously planned.
Echoing Trump’s favourite rhetoric, he called the US “the hottest country on the planet for investment”, crediting Trump’s policies for creating long-term opportunities.
The Trump family has its own financial interests in the kingdom, including a new Trump Plaza project in Jeddah, but Trump insisted he has “nothing to do” with the family business.
3. Defence deals: F-35 jets, tanks, and new security agreements
Ahead of the visit, Trump confirmed that the US would sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, a move that had stirred internal concerns that China might gain sensitive technology through Riyadh.
The White House announced that both leaders formalised the F-35 sale, along with a deal for nearly 300 American-made tanks.
Several agreements on capital markets, critical minerals and counter-terror finance cooperation were also signed.
Some officials were caught off-guard by the timing, particularly since the arrangement could affect Israel’s military edge in the region.
4. Trump rolls out the red carpet as relationship resets
The crown prince arrived at a ceremony styled like a state visit, even though he is not technically the head of state. Trump greeted him with a military flyover, Marine Band fanfare, and a showcase of the new Presidential Walk of Fame inside the West Wing.
A black-tie dinner followed in the East Room, attended by high-profile names including Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Cristiano Ronaldo and other global business figures.
Trump announced during the banquet that Saudi Arabia would be designated a major non-NATO ally, a symbolic but meaningful upgrade in military ties.
5. Abraham Accords, and the complicated road to peace
The meeting also served Trump’s push to expand the Abraham Accords, the diplomatic agreements that normalised Israel’s relations with several Arab nations during his first term.
Trump is now pushing for Saudi Arabia to join the accords, a move he argues would reshape Middle East stability after the prolonged Israel–Hamas war.
But Riyadh reiterated its long-held position: any breakthrough with Israel must include a clear path toward a Palestinian state. Israel remains firmly opposed to that.
“We want to be part of the Abraham Accords, but we want also to be sure that we secure a clear path of a two-state solution,” Prince Mohammed said.