Trump, MBS ink defense, AI, and nuclear pacts amid Abraham Accords push

WASHINGTON (MNTV) – Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received an elaborate welcome at the White House on Tuesday as U.S. President Donald Trump signalled a deepening partnership anchored in defence ties, major investments and a renewed push to reshape regional diplomacy.

The crown prince, known as MBS, arrived to a lavish ceremony featuring marching bands, flag-bearing horsemen and a military flyover. The spectacle underscored Trump’s embrace of Riyadh as a central pillar of what he calls a new, investment-driven Middle East shaped by US-aligned partners.

Inside the Oval Office, Trump and MBS fielded questions on business, artificial intelligence, defence cooperation and regional diplomacy before announcing a raft of major agreements.

Below are the key developments from the visit.

Saudi–Israel normalization: ‘Good talks’ but tied to Palestinian statehood

Trump has repeatedly pushed for Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, which normalized Israel’s relations with several Arab states. On Tuesday, both he and MBS suggested movement toward a potential deal—though with clear conditions.

“We believe having a good relation with all Middle Eastern countries is a good thing, and we want to be part of the Abraham Accords,” MBS said.
However, he stressed that Riyadh would not proceed without securing a “clear path” to a two-state solution.

“We had a healthy discussion … to prepare the right situation as soon as possible,” he added.

Saudi officials have maintained that any recognition of Israel must align with the Arab Peace Initiative, which conditions normalization on the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Trump said he had “good talks” with MBS on the matter.

“We talked about one state, two states. We talked about a lot of things. In a short period of time, we’ll be discussing it further too.”

Saudi Arabia designated a major non-NATO ally

During a black-tie White House dinner, Trump announced that Saudi Arabia will be formally recognized as a “major non-NATO ally,” a classification that streamlines access to advanced U.S. military technology and cooperation.

The Kingdom joins 19 other nations with the designation, from Japan to Qatar. The U.S. also treats Taiwan at a similar level.

The White House further revealed that Trump and MBS had signed a new strategic defence agreement meant to “fortify deterrence across the Middle East” and reaffirm the US as Riyadh’s primary security partner. It includes new Saudi burden-sharing funds to offset American costs, though specific details were not released.

The pact follows regional anxiety sparked by Israel’s September attack on Qatar, which raised doubts among Gulf states about Washington’s dependability.

Trump also confirmed that he will approve the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia—without downgrading them, a break from Washington’s long-standing commitment to maintain Israel’s “qualitative military edge.”

“They’d like you to get planes of reduced calibre. I don’t think that makes you too happy,” Trump told MBS.
“As far as I’m concerned, they both should get top of the line.”

US–Saudi agreements on nuclear technology, AI and critical minerals

The two leaders signed extensive agreements across defence, civil nuclear technology, AI, and supply-chain cooperation.

According to the White House, the pacts will:

• deepen the U.S.–Saudi strategic partnership,

• expand American job opportunities,

• strengthen supply chains, and

• cement long-term nuclear energy cooperation under strict non-proliferation rules.

An additional framework on critical minerals aims to align both countries’ strategies and reduce reliance on unstable global supply lines.

A memorandum on artificial intelligence grants Saudi Arabia access to “world-leading American systems” while imposing safeguards to protect sensitive U.S. technology.

Agreement texts were not immediately released.

$1 trillion in Saudi investments promised

Trump repeatedly thanked MBS for what he described as enormous upcoming Saudi investments in the United States.

“I want to thank you because you’ve agreed to invest $600 billion… and because he’s my friend, he might make it $1 trillion,” Trump said, half-jokingly.

MBS confirmed the figure, saying total investments would rise “to almost $1 trillion.”

He said new agreements on technology, AI, rare materials and magnets would generate major opportunities for both economies.

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the U.S., Princess Reema bint Bandar, called the day “significant,” saying the agreements will “spur investment … generate job opportunities for Saudis and Americans, and reinforce our shared commitment to regional and global security.”

Saudi mediation on U.S.–Iran tensions

On Iran, Trump boasted of the “extraordinary” U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June, then shifted to a conciliatory tone, claiming Tehran “very badly” wants a deal.

“I am totally open to it … it would be a nice thing to have a deal with Iran,” Trump said.

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince confirmed Riyadh had received a handwritten letter from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ahead of the visit and said the Kingdom would support U.S.–Iran diplomacy.

“We believe it’s good for Iran’s future to have a good deal that would satisfy the region and the world,” he said.
“We will do our best to help.”

Flattery, optics and domestic politics

The meeting was marked by warm exchanges and theatrical moments. Trump praised MBS as “fantastic” and “brilliant,” holding his hand at one point while criticising former President Joe Biden for greeting the crown prince with a fist bump in 2021.

He also berated an ABC News reporter for asking tough questions—first about MBS, then about Trump’s refusal to release Jeffrey Epstein–related government files. As the House of Representatives simultaneously passed a bill compelling the files’ release, Trump shot back: “You’re a terrible person and a terrible reporter.”