A Saudi nuclear program, military deals, a defense agreement, ending the Gaza war, a pathway to the two-state solution, negotiations with Iran, and a trillion dollars in trade and investment—this momentum will all be part of US President Donald Trump’s visit. He is expected to be accompanied by a brigade of top tech executives, including Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk, along with leaders from OpenAI, Meta, Alphabet, Boeing, and Citigroup. These big promises make President Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia an extraordinary one. It will also be his first official foreign trip, marking the start of his international diplomatic agenda.
Preparations for Trump’s visit have been underway for more than two months, an effort of unprecedented scale for both the US and Saudi governments. Multiple discussions took place during the preparations, laying the groundwork for agreements across all relevant political, economic, and defense issues. The visit has been preceded by trips from several regional and global politicians to Riyadh to add more items to the discussion table.
According to US State Department records, twelve US presidential visits to Saudi Arabia have taken place in the past fifty years before Trump’s. All were significant in their historical and political contexts. In today’s historical context, President Trump’s visit coincides with the broadest regional and international shifts since the end of the Cold War.
Regarding bilateral relations, Trump’s visit lays the foundation for a new chapter, considering the nature of the topics under negotiation - some already initiated, others to be finalized later. One is the Saudi nuclear project, which Washington had been reluctant to negotiate over in previous decades. An announcement is likely, as the administration previously leaked details. Interestingly, Saudi Arabia discovered uranium in its deserts during mineral exploration efforts - central to its massive Vision 2030 development plan - propelling its civil nuclear ambitions forward.
Politically, while the US-Saudi relationship is strong, it remains in need of restructuring and clarity. The strategic Quincy Agreement signed by Saudi Arabia’s founding King Abdulaziz and US President Roosevelt after World War II is now considered obsolete. Trump and the Saudi leadership are exploring a new strategic agreement format that accounts for recent developments - America’s transformation into an oil exporter, Saudi Arabia’s growing markets in China and India, and its ambitious Vision 2030 plan to position itself among the world’s top 20 economies.
Trump’s second visit to Riyadh is different, and observers are well aware of today’s shifting political climate: the fall of the al-Assad regime, the collapse of Hezbollah’s strength, the destruction of Houthi capabilities, and, for the first time in a decade, Iraqi militias halting attacks on US and international forces. The agenda itself also makes this summit distinct from his first presidential visit. Trump has reshaped Washington’s stubborn stance and launched a sweeping domestic and foreign policy transformation, with just under four years remaining to try and complete it.
In my opinion, the most important achievement of this summit for Saudi Arabia would be laying the foundation for a long-term, positive working relationship with Trump and the United States. Over the past eight years, the relationship has been successful. Even former critics now see the results. Built on mutual interests, it’s a relationship that can endure. Many countries around the world, including in Europe, are following Saudi Arabia’s lead in managing their affairs with Trump. The era of relying solely on political and military alliances with Washington is over; the focus now is on forging shared interests.
The trillion-dollar relationship that Saudi Arabia pledged to Trump over a ten-year investment span is not a basket of gifts. It consists of mega projects and investments. This is evident from the signed agreements and the delegation accompanying Trump on this trip. It reflects Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s vision and approach: focusing on development and the economy, and overcoming political and security challenges to make the relationship productive and sustainable.
