Saudi crown prince to visit US for first time since Khashoggi death

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, with the leaders expected to discuss the deepening of trade and technology ties, artificial intelligence, security and nuclear energy.

The trip follows Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia in May in which the kingdom made a $600 billion trade and investment commitment to the U.S. Analysts say Trump will be looking to cement those pledges this week.

“The United States wants Saudi Arabia to purchase more of its goods and services and increase investments in U.S. companies, and Saudi Arabia is seeking greater access to U.S. tech and innovation to support its ambitious Vision 2030 reforms,” Tim Callen, visiting fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute, said ahead of the meeting.

The U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum scheduled on Nov. 19 will be an opportunity to seal more economic deals between the two countries, Callen said, noting that Saudi Arabia wants a two-way street with Washington when it comes to investments.

“There is little doubt that Saudi investments and purchases of U.S. products will increase. However, it may be that U.S. investments into Saudi Arabia see the strongest growth in the coming years given the improved investment climate in the kingdom, opportunities provided by Vision 2030, and availability of reliable low-cost energy and abundant land to support the expansion of AI and related activities of U.S. tech companies,” Callen said.

The visit to the U.S. will be the first undertaken by Saudi Arabia’s defacto ruler since 2018, when Saudi agents killed a journalist and high-profile critic of the Saudi regime, Jamal Khashoggi, in a Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Mohammed bin Salman, or MBS as he’s widely known, denied ordering the killing but a U.S. intelligence report concluded the crown prince had approved the operation.

Since the widespread scandal around the killing, and criticism of Saudi’s record when it comes to gender equality and human rights generally, the kingdom has looked to rehabilitate its global image. It has done this predominantly through looking to broker peace agreements in the Middle East, and a push to host blockbuster sports events, such as the 2034 World Cup in men’s soccer.

Having seen its regional nemesis Iran largely weakened as a result of U.S. and Israeli joint strikes on the republic, Saudi Arabia has seen its own dominance grow and has positioned itself as a key strategic ally to the U.S. in the region.