When President Donald Trump picked Saudi Arabia as the destination for his first overseas trip in May 2025, the kingdom's leader courted him with grandeur and hundreds of billions of dollars in investment pledges and arms deals.

The two leaders restored strong relations , following a low point during the Biden administration, and advanced mutual interests in positioning themselves as brokers of peace in a bid to reshape the power of balance in the Middle East . The U.S. considers Saudi Arabia a reliable partner in a region marked by uncertainty.

Those efforts helped Trump amplify his self-image as the leader who could end global conflicts. As he now prepares to host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on November 18, the kingdom expects U.S. commitments that

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