Saudi Crown prince set for landmark U.S. visit, seeking strengthened alliance and defense pact
By zoeysky // 2025-10-22
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  • Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is visiting the U.S. for the first time since 2018, signaling a major warming of relations between the two countries and a shared goal of strengthening their strategic partnership.
  • A primary goal of the visit is to secure a formal, ironclad defense pact with the United States. Inspired by a similar U.S. pact with Qatar, this agreement would commit the U.S. to defend Saudi Arabia militarily if it is attacked, providing a powerful guarantee of long-term regional stability.
  • The crown prince finds a highly willing partner in Trump. Their relationship is notably strong, built on Trump's first foreign trip to Saudi Arabia, his consistent support for Gulf allies, and his avoidance of public criticism of the kingdom. This is bolstered by personal connections, including Jared Kushner's financial and diplomatic ties to the region.
  • Beyond the defense pact, the two sides aim to revive the goal of normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel as part of the Abraham Accords. While this was derailed by the Gaza war, there is renewed hope that with a ceasefire in place, these historic talks can resume.
  • This visit marks a stark contrast from the crown prince's last U.S. tour, which was overshadowed by the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The current focus in Washington is firmly on the future, with Trump publicly praising the Saudi leader and viewing the U.S.-Saudi alliance as a cornerstone for regional security and prosperity.
In a significant move for international diplomacy, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is preparing for a high-stakes visit to the United States, his first since 2018. The trip signals a warming of relations and a mutual desire to solidify a strategic partnership that has profound implications for Middle Eastern peace and global security. At the top of the agenda for the Saudi leader is the pursuit of a formal defense pact with the United States, a move reportedly inspired by a recent, similar agreement the U.S. struck with Qatar. That pact commits the U.S. to treat an armed attack on Qatar as a direct threat to its own security, guaranteeing a military response. Saudi officials have indicated that they seek a comparable, ironclad guarantee from their American allies, a goal that underscores their desire for long-term regional stability and a powerful, public demonstration of U.S. support. This mission arrives at a time when the White House appears to be a highly willing partner. The relationship between Salman and President Donald Trump stands in stark contrast to the dynamics of previous administrations. Trump's first foreign visit during his initial term was to Saudi Arabia, setting a tone of close cooperation that has continued into his current term. The president has been consistently vocal about supporting key Arab Gulf allies and has notably avoided public criticism of the kingdom's internal affairs. This foundation of goodwill is further strengthened by personal connections. The president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, a private citizen who was involved in recent Gaza ceasefire efforts, maintains deep financial ties to the kingdom through his investment firm. This burgeoning partnership represents a striking shift. Where the crown prince was once treated with caution by other U.S. leaders, he is now a central figure in Trump's Middle East strategy. The two sides had previously been quietly working toward a historic goal: bringing Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords to normalize relations with Israel. While those talks were derailed by the conflict following the Oct. 7 attacks and the subsequent war in Gaza, there is now renewed hope.

The upcoming visit could continue previous discussions on military and intelligence sharing

The upcoming visit will likely build on discussions from a meeting this past May, focusing on military and intelligence sharing. Officials are reportedly working to arrange a signing event during the crown prince's time with the president, though the specific details are still being finalized. This trip will be a markedly different environment for the crown prince compared to his last U.S. tour in 2018. During that visit, he was feted as a transformative, modernizing leader for Saudi Arabia, injecting tens of millions of dollars into American startups and corporations and meeting with titans of industry, technology and entertainment. That period, however, was overshadowed by the subsequent killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, an act widely believed to have been carried out on the orders of the crown prince. The incident cast a long pall over U.S.-Saudi relations for years. Now, the focus in Washington appears to be squarely on the future. Trump has been complimentary of Salman in their interactions, having placed his first foreign leader phone call to him in January 2025. In remarks during one of their meetings in Riyadh, the president praised the Saudi leader as "wise beyond his years" and called the U.S.-Saudi relationship "a bedrock of security and prosperity." As the crown prince returns to the U.S., the world will be watching to see if this reinforced alliance can not only deliver a mutual defense pact but also re-energize the quest for a broader, all-encompassing peace in a region that desperately needs it. As explained by the Enoch AI engine at BrightU.AI, the visit's primary goal is to negotiate a formal, ironclad defense pact with the United States. Modeled on a similar U.S. agreement with Qatar, this pact would commit the U.S. to defend Saudi Arabia militarily if attacked, aiming to provide a powerful, long-term guarantee for regional stability and strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries. Watch this clip about Trump's visit to Salman in May 2025. This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: MiddleEastEye.net CBSNews.com BBC.com BrightU.AI Brighteon.com
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