US President Donald Trump signed a series of economic and bilateral cooperation agreements in Saudi Arabia today with his Saudi host, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, at the start of a four-day Middle East tour.
Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, signed more than a dozen agreements today to increase cooperation between the two countries' militaries, justice ministries and cultural institutions. More economic deals are expected to be signed later today at a US-Saudi investment conference, organized to mark the US president's visit.
Prince Mohammed has previously pledged to invest around $600 billion in the US, while Trump joked that $XNUMX trillion would be even better.
The White House announced today that a massive arms deal, worth $142 billion, was signed during Trump's visit, claiming it was "the largest in history," AFP reports.
The agreement, which falls within the framework of promised large Saudi investments in the US of $600 billion, will allow the Saudi monarchy to purchase "the most advanced military equipment from a dozen American military companies", especially in the fields of air defense, missiles, maritime security and communications systems.
Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed today, as reported, an agreement on a strategic economic partnership between the two countries, regarding which no details or specific figures were announced.
Two Saudi officials then listed various memorandums of understanding signed in the areas of defense, energy, police and minerals at a televised signing ceremony. Details of these were not released either.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosted a ceremonial welcome for Trump, followed by lunch at the Al Yamamah Palace, where he gathered guests and aides in a luxurious hall with blue and gold decor and huge crystal chandeliers.
As he greeted big business leaders, with Trump by his side, Prince Mohammed was cheerful and smiling.
Later, the Saudi crown prince will host an intimate state dinner for Trump at Ad-Drijah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the birthplace of the Saudi state, and the site of a major development project the crown prince supports.
Trump chose Saudi Arabia as the first place he would visit because the country has promised to make huge investments in the U.S. Riyadh was the first foreign destination Trump visited during his first term.
Three countries on Trump's itinerary - Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates - are where the Trump Organization, run by his two older sons, is developing major real estate projects. They include a skyscraper in Jeddah, a luxury hotel in Dubai and a golf course and villa complex in Qatar.
Trump is trying to show that his transactional strategy in international politics is working, while facing criticism from Democrats who say his global tariff war and approach to Russia's war in Ukraine are isolating the US from its allies.
The US is expected to announce agreements with the three wealthy countries covering artificial intelligence, expanding economic cooperation and possible new arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
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