Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will visit the White House on November 18 for an official working meeting with President Donald Trump, a White House official confirmed Monday. The visit comes as Trump urges Saudi Arabia to join nations that signed the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations with Israel in 2020.
The original accords included the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco, and aimed to reshape diplomatic ties across the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has remained cautious, seeking concrete steps toward Palestinian statehood before joining the historic accords, reflecting longstanding regional sensitivities.
Trump expressed optimism on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” stating he believed Saudi Arabia would ultimately commit to the Abraham Accords framework. Officials say the visit could also include discussions on a U.S.-Saudi defense agreement, with hopes of a potential deal during bin Salman’s trip.
Riyadh has requested formal U.S. security guarantees alongside access to advanced American weaponry, continuing decades-long strategic ties between the two nations. Saudi Arabia remains one of the United States’ largest arms clients, trading oil supplies for military support and maintaining regional stability. During Trump’s visit to Riyadh in May, the U.S. agreed to sell the kingdom a weapons package valued at nearly $142 billion.