U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Riyadh to a grand welcome from Saudi leaders. He stepped off Air Force One and pumped his fist as he greeted Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Shortly after, Trump signed a new agreement with Saudi Arabia. The deal covers energy, mining, defense, and other sectors. It includes a U.S. arms package worth nearly $142 billion.
According to the White House, “this is the largest defense cooperation agreement the U.S. has ever signed.”
The agreement involves more than twelve U.S. defense firms. It covers missile defense, air force upgrades, maritime security, and military communications.
During a U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum in Riyadh, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said, “Today we hope for investment opportunities worth $600 billion, including deals worth $300 billion that were signed during this forum.”
He added, “We will work in the coming months on the second phase to complete deals and raise it to $1 trillion.”
Saudi-U.S. Ties Get Business Boost
President Trump called the crown prince a “friend” and described their bond as strong.
“I really believe we like each other a lot,” Trump said during a private meeting with the prince.
Trump was joined by U.S. business leaders such as Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. They toured an exhibition of Saudi Arabia’s mega development projects, including the futuristic NEOM city.
Trump also met with officials like Aramco CEO Amin Nasser, Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih, and wealth fund chief Yaser al-Rumayyan.
Falih told attendees at the forum, “While energy remains a cornerstone of our relationship, the investments and business opportunities in the kingdom have expanded and multiplied many, many times over.”
He added, “When Saudis and Americans join forces, very good things happen. More often than not, great things happen.”
Trump Stresses Investment over Security on Mideast Tour
Trump will continue his trip to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. He has no stop scheduled in Israel. This has raised questions about the U.S. focus in the region.
Trump said, “Relations with Saudi Arabia will be even stronger.”
Musk and the crown prince shared a brief chat at a reception. Trump later had lunch with top American businessmen and Saudi leaders.
Saudi Arabia remains one of the biggest buyers of U.S. weapons. Discussions are ongoing about possible Saudi purchases of advanced F-35 fighter jets, though these were not confirmed as part of the latest deals.
Trump wants to promote Arab-Israeli agreements, known as the Abraham Accords. But Saudi Arabia has not agreed to join yet, partly due to Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Trump has pushed for a ceasefire in Gaza. He also warned Iran that military action could follow if nuclear talks fail.
“We want to offer Iran a new and better path toward a more helpful future,” Trump said.
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