President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have signed multiple agreements in Riyadh on May 13. The strategic partnership deal aims to strengthen economic and military ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia. The investment pledge of $600 billion includes an arms deal worth nearly $142 billion, involving advanced warfighting equipment and services from various US defense firms. The White House hailed the agreements as historic and transformative, ushering in a new era of partnership between the two countries. Additionally, a partnership between Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior and the FBI was also formalized in the signed agreements. The signings were preceded by a VIP lunch at the Saudi Royal Court attended by notable guests such as Elon Musk and high-profile US business figures. The visit is part of President Trump’s major overseas trip since his return to the White House, with planned stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to discuss further diplomatic and investment deals.
Last month, I traveled overseas to pay my respects at the funeral of Pope Francis. In May 2017, President Trump participated in the Arab-Islamic-American summit in Riyadh, where leaders from the region convened to address security and terrorism concerns. The visit resulted in significant investment agreements between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, which are anticipated to be a focal point of this week’s trip. For more information, please reach out to us at letters@time.com.
