Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Departs for Official Working Visit to the United States

Riyadh, The Gulf Observer: Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman departed Saudi Arabia on Monday for an official working visit to the United States, the Royal Court announced.

The visit, undertaken at the directive of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and in response to an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump, will focus on strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation across multiple sectors.

According to the official statement, the Crown Prince will meet President Trump in Washington to review Saudi-U.S. relations and discuss key regional and international developments. “We’re more than meeting, we’re honoring Saudi Arabia, the Crown Prince,” President Trump told reporters on Friday, underscoring the significance of the visit.

While not classified as a formal state visit, the White House program includes several ceremonial elements typically associated with one. These include an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn, a greeting on the South Portico, a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, followed by a signing ceremony and lunch in the Cabinet Room. A formal dinner will be hosted in the East Room later in the evening.

Tuesday’s engagements will mark Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s first visit to the White House in more than seven years. President Trump has stated that the talks aim to further advance economic, defense, and strategic cooperation between the two longtime partners.

Officials from both sides are expected to finalize several agreements during the visit. According to Bloomberg, the U.S. administration is preparing arrangements that would allow Saudi Arabia to purchase F-35 stealth aircraft.

The leaders last met in May during President Trump’s state visit to Riyadh, where the U.S. delegation received a high-profile welcome featuring a Saudi Air Force jet escort, an honor guard bearing golden swords, and a ceremonial Arabian horse procession.