Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Donald Trump on his return to the White House.
In a Thursday call, the crown prince conveyed best wishes from King Salman. He announced plans to significantly increase Saudi investment and trade with the United States, aiming to reach $600 billion over the next four years.
During Trump’s initial tenure as president, he quickly established close ties with Saudi Arabia, a key partner for the U.S. in energy and security. His first international trip in 2017 was to Riyadh, where he participated in a traditional sword dance and witnessed a military fly-past, marking a warm reception.
However, relations experienced some tension when Prince Mohammed expressed disappointment over Trump’s restrained response to the 2019 attack—widely attributed to Iran—that severely impacted Saudi Arabia’s oil production.
Despite cooling relations, efforts to strengthen ties continued after Trump’s presidency, particularly through investments and construction deals benefiting Trump’s private enterprise, the Trump Organization.
Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has also been in the spotlight for securing a $2 billion investment for his private equity firm from Saudi sources, which has been defended amidst criticism.
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On the political front, while campaigning, Joe Biden was openly critical of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, notably referencing the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Despite these criticisms, diplomatic relations under Biden’s presidency saw significant improvement. The two nations explored a major agreement, potentially leading to Saudi Arabia recognizing Israel, supported by a U.S. defence pact and cooperation on Saudi’s civilian nuclear initiatives.
This ambitious diplomatic effort, however, stalled following a conflict initiated by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023, which escalated into a broader war in the Gaza Strip.
