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Monday, November 17, 2025
Saudi crown prince departs for US amid Trump’s talk of potential Israel normalization
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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has departed for the United States, Riyadh’s state news agency says, where the kingdom’s de facto leader is likely to press for security guarantees and advanced weaponry.
The visit marks bin Salman’s first visit to Washington since the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents prompted worldwide outrage and briefly upended ties with the kingdom’s longtime ally.
“This official working visit will include a meeting with President Donald Trump to discuss bilateral relations and ways to strengthen them in various fields, as well as to address issues of mutual interest,” reads a post by the Saudi Press Agency on X.
Prince Mohammed has fostered close ties with Trump and his family over the years — a relationship that was burnished by a lavish welcome and $600 billion in investment pledges when the US president visited Saudi Arabia in May.
In the lead-up to the prince’s trip, Trump has boasted of efforts to convince the kingdom to join the Abraham Accords and cement ties with Israel — a long-sought policy goal of his administration.
Saudi Arabia, however, is unlikely to agree to normalization at this stage, according to experts, with Prince Mohammed’s priority set for firmer US security guarantees after Israeli strikes in September on Qatar, an iron-clad US ally, unnerved the wealthy Gulf region.
The 40-year-old heir to the throne is expected to meet Trump tomorrow.
A US-Saudi investment forum spotlighting energy and artificial intelligence will take place in the US capital during the prince’s three-day visit, the event’s website says.
The Times of Israel Community.