Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) is set to visit Washington, DC, on November 18 for a high-profile meeting with United States President Donald Trump. This visit marks the crown prince’s second trip to the US capital during Trump’s presidency, coming eight years after his landmark 2017 visit to the White House.

The meeting, confirmed by a senior White House official to Reuters, adds to the growing diplomatic momentum between the two countries as Trump seeks to further strengthen US-Saudi ties and build on the Middle East reshaping policies initiated during his previous term.

Geopolitical Context: Abraham Accords and Saudi-Israeli Relations

The Saudi leader’s trip comes at a pivotal time as the Trump administration encourages more countries to join the Abraham Accords – a series of landmark agreements brokered by the US in 2020 to normalize ties between Israel and several Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.

While Trump has voiced optimism that Saudi Arabia will ultimately join the accords, the kingdom has repeatedly made clear that full normalization with Israel remains contingent on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

In a recent interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes, Trump stated,

“I believe Saudi Arabia will be part of the Abraham Accords, but it’s a matter of the right conditions being met.”

Potential Defense Pact on the Agenda

There is growing speculation that a major defense agreement could be signed during MBS’s visit, according to reporting by the Financial Times. A senior Trump administration official confirmed that talks are underway, though key details are still being finalized.

Saudi Arabia has long been a strategic defense partner of the United States. In May, during Trump’s earlier 2025 visit to Riyadh, the US signed off on a nearly $142 billion arms package with the kingdom. A similar billion-dollar arms deal was signed during Trump’s first term in 2017 – also during a visit that included a historic summit between the two leaders.

The upcoming meeting is expected to further solidify this defense cooperation and address shared geopolitical concerns in the Middle East, including tensions in Gaza and broader regional stability.

Economic and Diplomatic Ties Continue to Strengthen

Saudi Arabia remains one of the largest buyers of US-manufactured weapons, and the bilateral relationship has been underpinned by energy, military, and investment ties for decades. MBS’s 2025 visit is set to reinforce these connections, while also exploring future cooperation beyond defense – including trade, technology, and energy policy.

The visit also signals a continuation of the personal rapport developed between the two leaders during Trump’s earlier term, often highlighted in media coverage of their joint appearances and policy announcements.