Working Meeting Between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Scheduled for November 18

A high-stakes working meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia is slated to take place at the White House on November 18, 2025. While this visit does not carry the designation of an official state reception, the planned arrival ceremony on the South Lawn and the greeting at the South Portico underscore the profound strategic importance of the bilateral relationship between Washington and Riyadh.

The primary objective of the discussions is the reinforcement of the long-term strategic partnership, focusing heavily on critical areas such as energy security, defense collaboration, and cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence. According to reports circulating in American media, the agenda includes the potential signing of multi-billion dollar agreements, particularly in the defense sector. These prospective deals are likened to the recent security pact established between the U.S. and Qatar, which stipulates that an attack on the ally would be treated as a threat to the security of the United States itself. Furthermore, the leaders plan to address the ceasefire in Gaza and the ongoing process of normalizing relations between Israel and Arab nations—a key priority for the Trump administration.

This upcoming trip marks the first time Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has visited the United States since the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, an event that previously strained diplomatic contacts. Against the backdrop of the visit, human rights organizations, notably Human Rights Watch, are urging the U.S. government to actively raise concerns regarding human rights violations within Saudi Arabia.

In parallel with this diplomatic activity, Saudi Arabia is continuing its ambitious internal transformation under the “Vision 2030” program. A significant domestic policy move occurred in September 2025 when a five-year moratorium on rent increases for both residential and commercial properties was introduced in Riyadh. This measure was initiated after the Crown Prince publicly deemed the rising prices an “unacceptable level.” Moving forward, all lease agreements within the capital city must be officially registered through the national digital platform known as Ejar.

In the realm of technology, a crucial step was taken on May 12, 2025, with the launch of the state-owned company “Humain.” Curated by the Crown Prince and backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which manages assets valued at approximately $940 billion, Humain is designed to develop the entire AI value chain. This includes the creation of powerful multilingual Arabic Large Language Models (LLMs) and the establishment of robust data centers, aiming to position the Kingdom as a global hub for artificial intelligence.

During President Trump’s visit in May 2025, Humain cemented significant partnerships with leading American technology firms. These agreements included a deal with Nvidia for the supply of 18,000 Blackwell accelerators and a commitment from AMD to invest $10 billion in joint projects. The forthcoming November meeting in Washington is widely viewed as an attempt by both parties to solidify tangible results across critically important sectors. Central negotiation points revolve around the efforts to achieve normalization with Israel, which necessitates a clear roadmap for the creation of a Palestinian state, and Riyadh’s access to advanced American AI chips. The visit clearly demonstrates Riyadh's proactive role as an initiator in shaping a new, U.S.-led regional architecture.