Washington Institute experts discuss each government’s likely agenda for the landmark visit, from dealmaking in the energy and AI sectors to deepening the bilateral defense relationship and taking the difficult next steps in the fragile Gaza ceasefire plan. President Trump will host Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman (MbS) again on November 18, but unlike their 2018 visit—when the prince spent three weeks traveling around the United States to explain the vast social and economic changes he was making in the kingdom—this trip will be limited to Washington. Designed to follow up on Trump’s May appearance in Riyadh, the prince’s trip is being billed as an “official working visit,” which quite effectively describes what their meetings will primarily be about: doing business. Many of the deals announced in May are now materializing, and their values are being increased. In particular, both leaders are focused on the nexus of finance, artificial intelligence, and energy—the latter because of the huge amounts of electricity needed to power AI data centers. They seek to expand bilateral public and private partnerships in these areas; in fact, officials have apparently worked out some of the national security concerns about the transfer of technology, data, and chips in preparation for the visit.
Washington Institute experts discuss each government’s likely agenda for the landmark visit, from dealmaking in the energy and AI sectors to deepening the bilateral defense relationship and taking the difficult next steps in the fragile Gaza ceasefire plan.
Author's note: The piece frames the visit as a targeted, business-oriented engagement aimed at expanding cooperation in finance, AI, and energy, while addressing technology transfer and security considerations, with a pragmatic tone about the pace and scope of discussions.
Author: Dennis Ross
Summary: The visit prioritizes concrete deals and strategic partnerships, emphasizing finance, AI, and energy, with careful attention to technology transfer and security concerns, against a backdrop of ongoing regional ceasefire efforts.