Saudi Crown Prince to Visit Washington Nov. 18

President Donald Trump will host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on Nov. 18 (some outlets report a Nov. 18–19 visit), marking the crown prince’s first trip to Washington since 2018. The visit is expected to focus on regional security and U.S. security guarantees, with talks aimed at finalizing defense arrangements that are likely short of a full treaty, alongside agreements on artificial intelligence, nuclear cooperation and trade. Riyadh and Washington may also discuss Saudi‑Israeli normalization, but Saudi leaders insist any deal be tied to a time‑bound, irreversible pathway to a Palestinian state, a condition Israeli leaders oppose. The trip comes as MBS seeks to rebuild his international standing after the global fallout from Jamal Khashoggi’s killing and amid hopes that a recent ceasefire could help end the two‑year Gaza war. It follows Mr. Trump’s May Gulf trip, and U.S. and Saudi officials say a range of bilateral commercial and defense commitments could be announced during the meetings.