Trump hosts Saudi prince for first time since Khashoggi killing
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will receive a lavish welcome from US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, signing defense and nuclear deals during his first visit to the United States since the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Trump is expected to roll out the red carpet for the prince with a fly-by, gun salute and a gala dinner — giving the Saudi the equivalent of a state dinner, even though he is not a head of state and is only the kingdom’s de facto ruler.
Trump has made a priority of boosting ties with the oil-rich Gulf kingdom, and said on Monday he would sell coveted F-35 stealth fighters to Saudi Arabia, despite concerns from Israel.
In another area of past contention, he will sign a deal on a framework for civilian nuclear cooperation, a source familiar with the negotiations said.
Trump will also push Prince Mohammed to normalize relations with Israel as he seeks a wider Middle East peace deal after the war in Gaza.
“We’re more than meeting,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Friday when asked about the visit. “We’re honoring Saudi Arabia, the Crown Prince.”
The Saudi heir to the throne is looking forward to a fresh start on his first US trip since the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents sparked global outrage.
The killing also chilled relations with Washington, as US intelligence suggested that Prince Mohammed approved the operation inside the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, an allegation which Saudi authorities deny.
Khashoggi’s widow, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, told CNN that her husband’s killing had “destroyed my life” and she hoped Washington would remember that as it seeks ties with Riyadh.
“I hope they look at the American values of human rights and (democracy)” besides any deal and selling weapons, she said.
The 40-year-old prince has fostered close ties with Trump and his family over the years — a relationship burnished by a lavish welcome and $600 billion in investment pledges when the president visited Saudi Arabia in May.
– Security guarantees –
Prince Mohammed will have his own agenda, seeking firmer US security guarantees after Israeli strikes in September on Qatar, an iron-clad US ally, rattled the wealthy Gulf region.
Along with the F-35 jets, Riyadh is seeking to buy advanced air and missile defense systems.
It will also push hard for access to the high-tech chips it needs to fuel its AI ambitions, experts said.
But Saudi Arabia is unlikely to agree to normalization with Israel at this stage, despite Trump’s aim for the grand prize of Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords that he launched in his first term.
“We have a lot of people joining the Abraham Accords and hopefully we are going to get Saudi Arabia very soon,” Trump said earlier this month.
Potential Saudi moves towards normalization in return for security and energy guarantees were put on hold after the outbreak of Israel’s devastating war in Gaza in October 2023.
Riyadh appears in no mood to budge without any progress on its international push for a Palestinian state.
Despite that, Trump will look to underscore the “bromance” with Prince Mohammed that both leaders have been keen to show off since the president’s return to office.
Trump is also expected to attend a US-Saudi investment forum spotlighting energy and artificial intelligence taking place in Washington on Wednesday.
The Republican president’s family also has extensive business ties with the Saudis.
The day before the prince’s visit, Saudi developer Dar Global announced a new partnership with the Trump Organization to build a luxury hotel in the Maldives.
Investors will be able to participate in its financing through digital tokens.
AFP
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