President Donald Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman back to the White House—his first visit since 2018—signaling a renewed strategic partnership between Washington and Riyadh. The ceremony was unmistakably Trumpian: fighter-jet flyovers, a horse parade, top cabinet officials lined up in salute, and the president himself placing a firm hand on the crown prince’s back, a gesture considered unusual in royal protocol but very much in line with Trump’s assertive style.
Inside the White House, Trump went out of his way to defend the crown prince when a reporter raised the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump dismissed the attempt to embarrass his guest. “You’re mentioning someone that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about. Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen. But he knew nothing about it,” Trump said, adding pointedly, “You don’t have to embarrass our guest.”
Khashoggi—who lived in Virginia—was killed by Saudi agents at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul in 2018. U.S. intelligence agencies have suggested MBS likely approved the operation, something the crown prince has consistently denied. The incident strained U.S.–Saudi relations throughout the Biden administration, which often treated the kingdom as a pariah despite its central role in Middle Eastern security and global energy markets.
Trump’s message on Tuesday was clear: under his leadership, America is returning to a posture of pragmatic partnership, not moralistic scolding. The president praised the crown prince for being strong on “human rights and everything else,” signaling a sharp contrast to the Biden-era posture of lecturing allies while empowering adversaries like Iran.
Before the Oval Office meeting, Trump personally guided MBS through the renovated Rose Garden, showing him his new “Presidential Hall of Fame,” where former President Joe Biden is depicted as an autopen—a typically cheeky Trump flourish. At one point, the president even teased the crown prince about global leaders’ greetings. Reminding reporters of Biden’s awkward 2022 fist bump in Jeddah, Trump quipped: “Remember Biden? He travels for 20 hours, he gets out and he gives a fist bump.” He added: “And Trump doesn’t give a fist pump. I grab that hand. I don’t give a hell where that hand’s been.”
High-ranking members of Trump’s national security cabinet—including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and others—attended the arrival ceremony on the South Lawn, underscoring the administration’s commitment to strengthening the U.S.–Saudi relationship amid ongoing regional instability.
The visit also came with major policy news. Trump announced his intention to approve the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia—making it the first Middle Eastern nation outside Israel to access the platform. “We will be doing that. We will be selling F-35 jets,” Trump said. “They’ve been a great ally.” The sale would mark a dramatic shift in regional military dynamics, though analysts note it could take years for the transfer to materialize.
Israel has urged the administration to “condition the sale” on progress toward Saudi-Israeli normalization—a move many see as potentially historic. Given that an F-35 could reach Israeli airspace from Saudi Arabia in mere minutes, Israeli officials are reportedly seeking additional security guarantees if the deal proceeds.
Democrats and legacy media outlets have predictably focused on Trump family business interests in Saudi Arabia, including a future real estate project planned for Jeddah. Trump dismissed concerns outright in the Oval Office: “They do business all over… They’ve done very little with Saudi Arabia.” Conservative analysts note that unlike the Biden family’s entanglements in China and Ukraine, the Trump Organization’s international projects are openly disclosed and privately funded.
