MBS Lands in Washington: Trump Rolls Out Red Carpet, F-35s, and $1 Trillion Promises
Published Date: 18th Nov, 2025
Washington, DC – 14:27 EST, November 18, 2025 Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman touched down at Joint Base Andrews this morning aboard the royal Boeing 747 “Flying Palace,” kicking off a three-day visit that feels more like a coronation than diplomacy. President Donald Trump greeted him on the South Lawn with full military honors: 21-gun salute, F-22 flyover, and a Marine band playing the Saudi royal anthem. The message was unmistakable: the prodigal prince is back in America’s good graces.
What’s on the Table (Confirmed Deals & Leaks)
- F-35 sale approved – Trump publicly confirmed the U.S. will sell Saudi Arabia up to 100 stealth fighters, the first time Riyadh gets the crown-jewel jet
- Civil nuclear package – Framework for 16 U.S.-built reactors, with Westinghouse and Bechtel leading construction
- AI & chips – Nvidia, AMD, and Intel agree to open Saudi research hubs and loosen export controls on latest-generation GPUs
- $960 billion investment pledge – Saudi sovereign fund PIF commits fresh capital into U.S. infrastructure, real estate, and Trump-branded golf projects over next decade
- Defense pact draft – Mutual defense treaty modeled on NATO Article 5 reportedly 90% finalized
Trump, grinning beside MBS in the Oval Office: “We’re talking the biggest deals ever made. Bigger than China, bigger than anybody.”
The Khashoggi Moment Everyone Expected
ABC’s Mary Bruce asked the question on live television: “Mr. President, do you believe the crown prince ordered the murder of Jamal Khashoggi?”
Trump cut her off mid-sentence: “Things happen. Bad things happen in lots of countries. We’ve moved on. Saudi Arabia is a great friend and they’re spending a trillion dollars with us. Next question.”
MBS remained silent, staring straight ahead. No denial, no apology, no comment.
Live Reaction Roundup
X Trends (US)
- #MBSinDC – 1.4M posts
- #Khashoggi – 890k posts (mostly furious)
- #F35toSaudi – 412k posts
9/11 Families (statement outside White House gates) “This is blood money diplomacy. Our loved ones are rolling in their graves.”
Senate Democrats Chuck Schumer: “Selling F-35s to a regime that dismembers journalists is a moral and strategic disaster.”
Wall Street Lockheed Martin stock ↑ 6.8 % pre-market Nvidia ↑ 4.1 %
Timeline of the Visit
Tuesday (today)
- 10:00 EST – Arrival ceremony
- 11:15 EST – Oval Office bilateral
- 19:30 EST – Black-tie dinner (attendees: Elon Musk, Jared Kushner, Jamie Dimon)
Wednesday
- U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum at the Kennedy Center
- Closed-door national security briefing on Iran & Yemen
Thursday
- MBS departs for Riyadh after signing ceremonies
The Bottom Line
Seven years after the Khashoggi murder froze relations, Mohammed bin Salman returns to Washington not as a pariah, but as the most important Arab leader in Trump’s second-term playbook. Fighter jets, nuclear reactors, and a trillion-dollar chequebook have a way of quieting old ghosts.
Whether the Senate blocks the F-35 sale, whether human-rights groups drown out the applause, or whether this really becomes “the biggest deal ever” remains to be seen.
For now, the red carpet is out, the cash is flowing, and the alliance is officially reborn.
Date: 18th Nov, 2025
