Last Updated:
Trump announced Saudi Arabia’s $600-billion commitment to invest in the United States, covering energy security, defence industry, technology leadership, and critical minerals.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman meets with US President Donald Trump in Riyadh. (Reuters)
The US and Saudi Arabia signed a mammoth arms deal on Tuesday, which the White House called the largest deal “in history” amid a raft of agreements inked by Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh.
During his visit to Riyadh, Trump announced Saudi Arabia’s $600-billion commitment to invest in the United States, aimed at strengthening the US-Saudi partnership in energy security, defence industry, technology leadership, and access to global infrastructure and critical minerals.
“The United States and Saudi Arabia signed the largest defence sales agreement in history – nearly $142 billion, providing Saudi Arabia with state-of-the-art warfighting equipment,” the White House said in a statement.
These sales would fall into five categories – air force advancement and space capabilities, air and missile defence, maritime and coastal security, border security and land forces modernisation, and information and communication systems upgrades.
“The package also includes extensive training and support to build the capacity of the Saudi armed forces, including enhancement of Saudi service academies and military medical services. This deal represents a significant investment in Saudi Arabia’s defence and regional security, built on American systems and training,” said the White House.
Trump’s Visit To Riyadh
Trump, who is accompanied by a host of US business leaders including billionaire Elon Musk, landed in Riyadh on a whirlwind tour to the Middle East, from where he will go on to Qatar on Wednesday and the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman warmly greeted Trump as he stepped off Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital in a rare diplomatic honour. The two leaders then retreated to a grand hall at the Riyadh airport, where Trump and his aides were served traditional Arabic coffee by waiting attendants wearing ceremonial gun belts.
“I really believe we like each other a lot,” he said during a meeting in Riyadh with the Saudi crown prince. Trump has not included Israel on his schedule amid tensions between the latter and the Saudi government.
Riyadh’s $600 billion agreement includes Saudi firm DataVolt’s $20 billion investment in AI-related sites, Shamekh IV Solutions’ $5.8 million investment in building a plant in Michigan to launch a high-capacity IV fluid facility. Meanwhile, companies like Google, DataVolt, Oracle, Salesforce, AMD, and Uber are committing to invest $80 billion in cutting-edge transformative technologies in both countries, according to the White House.
Additionally, US companies including Hill International, Jacobs, Parsons, and AECOM are building key infrastructure projects like King Salman International Airport, King Salman Park, The Vault, Qiddiya City, and much more, totalling $2 billion in US services exports.
Saudi Arabia is one of the United States’ largest trading partners in the Middle East. In 2024, US-Saudi Arabia goods trade totalled $25.9 billion, with US exports at $13.2 billion, imports at $12.7 billion, and a trade surplus in goods of $443 million.
(with inputs from agencies)
- Location :
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- First Published:
