The Perils and Pitfalls of a U.S.-Saudi Defense Pact

U.S. troops would be obliged to defend Riyadh.

Flags on poles fly above Air Force One in a desert landscape. November 17, 2025, 1:36 PM Comment icon View Comments ( )

Trump’s Second Term

Ongoing reports and analysis

The rehabilitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) from global pariah to global patron is one of the most extraordinary political feats of our time. This week, MBS will triumphantly return to Washington, D.C. after a nearly decade of banishment. He is expected to dole out $600 billion in promised investments in American companies, and, as part of this exchange, obtain a long-desired security guarantee from the United States. This may well be a great deal for the corporations that stand to bene

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