President Donald Trump hosted a grand reception for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on November 18. The ceremony featured a parade by the honor cavalry guard and a cannon salute. A formation of three F-35 stealth fighter jets and three F-15 heavy fighters then flew over the White House, observed by both leaders.
The New York Post described the White House reception as a "grand display fit for a king", even though it was not a state visit by a head of state.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is considered the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, though he holds the title of Prime Minister. The role of head of state belongs to his father, King Salman, who has made few public appearances in recent years.
President Trump praised the Saudi Crown Prince, stating they were "very good friends". The two leaders appeared cordial before reporters as they went inside. President Trump referenced a fist bump between his predecessor, Joe Biden, and the Saudi Crown Prince in 2022, joking that he "wasn't afraid to touch" as he took the other leader's hand.
"Trump doesn't fist bump. I shake hands, I don't care where that hand has been", the US President said after shaking hands with the Saudi Crown Prince.
A key focus of the visit was Saudi Arabia's commitment to increase its investment in the US from USD 600 billion to USD 1 trillion, spanning various economic sectors, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and rare earth elements.
President Trump praised the commitment, emphasizing that they were "creating numbers no one else has". "That means investments in factories, companies, and money flowing into Wall Street. The most important and meaningful thing for everyone is jobs", he said.
The two leaders also hinted at increased regional security cooperation, including in the Gaza Strip, though specific terms were not disclosed. Saudi Arabia helped persuade the armed group Hamas to accept a peace agreement with Israel proposed by President Trump.
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US fighter jet formation participating in the reception for the Saudi Crown Prince on November 18. Photo: AP |
During an evening reception that day, President Trump announced that the US would designate Saudi Arabia as a "major non-NATO ally", adding that the two leaders had signed a historic strategic defense agreement.
The White House explained that the agreement would facilitate operations for US defense companies in Saudi Arabia, secure "new burden-sharing funds" from Riyadh to offset costs for Washington, and affirm Saudi Arabia's view of the US as its primary strategic partner.
Under the agreement, Riyadh will acquire an undisclosed number of F-35 stealth fighter jets and nearly 300 M1 Abrams tanks.
By Pham Giang (According to New York Post, Reuters)
