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Saudi Arabia

November 23, 2025

Riyadh 3:01 pm

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MBS

Analysis

With Saudi normalization off table, MBS visit to Trump 'a defeat for Israel'

Israelis are searching for answers for the shift in US policy, some pointing to Saudi promises to invest trillions in the US, while others point to members of Trump's circle.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

US President Donald Trump meets with Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia during a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Nov. 18, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Analysis

F-35s, chips but no security guarantees: What MBS achieved — and didn’t — in Washington

A Saudi-US defense deal signed by Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House fell short of the de facto Saudi leader's ambitions for a US defense guarantee, but neither side appears in much of a hurry since the US military knocked out Iran's nuclear enrichment in June.

Jared Szuba

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman (R) arrives as US President Donald Trump is seen on a screen.

Gulf AI ambitions get boost with US approval of advanced chip exports

Washington has been cautious about sending sensitive advanced microchips to Middle East countries with close ties to China, fearing that the technology could end up in Beijing’s hands.

Latest News

US-Gulf critical minerals ties deepen as Saudis strike rare earths deal

US President Donald Trump and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia stand for a photo.

Saudi Arabia lifts travel ban on US citizen Saad Almadi

An undated image of Saad Ibrahim Almadi.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Sebastian Castelier

In Dubai, reporting on regional business

White House dinner

Tech titans gather as US-Saudi investment forum opens, MBS nets key deals

President Donald Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with a red carpet to Oval Office talks and a black-tie dinner with celebrities.

Amal Alhasan/Getty Images for Red Sea International Film Festival

Culture

Middle Eastern works to take center stage at Saudi Red Sea Film Festival

The festival’s main competition features 10 directors from the Middle East and North Africa.

US President Donald Trump meets with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on Nov. 18, 2025.

MBS pledges Saudi investment of $1T in Trump meeting

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the move is in line with Saudi Arabia's investment strategy, particularly its desire to increase computing capabilities and develop an artificial intelligence sector.

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 18: Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump watch a military flyover as bin Salman arrives at the White House on November 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump is hosting the crown prince for meetings aimed at strengthening economic and defense ties, including the U.S. sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia to receive F-35 jets ‘pretty similar’ to Israel’s, Trump says

The US president says he would like to provide both Saudi Arabia and Israel "top-of-the-line" stealth-capable F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, risking potential blowback from Israeli leaders intent to maintain their country's military supremacy in the region.

Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Interview

Saudi foreign ownership property law won't overheat market, says Dar Global CEO

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has frozen rent in Riyadh for five years to contain soaring prices.

Ziad El Chaar

CEO of Dar Global

an waves as they walk down the Colonnade on the way to the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on Nov. 18, 2025.

Live Updates

Trump gives MBS red-carpet welcome, touts F-35 deal, $1T Saudi investment

Trump is hosting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House in a high-profile visit aimed at resetting US-Saudi ties and securing major defense, nuclear and investment deals.

An Israel Air Force F-35 fighter lands during the "Blue Flag" multinational air defence exercise at the Ovda air force base, north of Eilat, Israel, Oct. 24, 2021.

Analysis

Trump’s Saudi F-35 deal jolts Israel’s security elite, weakens Netanyahu

The expected sale to Saudi Arabia of American stealth F-35 jets, as well as their sale to Turkey, deeply worries Israel’s security apparatus.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

This photograph shows a pilot disembarking a Belgium's newly purchased Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jet for the first time, after arriving at the Florennes military airbase, southern Belgium on October 13, 2025. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP) (Photo by JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump says US will sell F-35s to Saudi Arabia, first Arab country to acquire jets

The deal could rattle Washington's ties with Israel and is not likely to be approved by Congress unless conditioned on Saudi normalization of ties with Israel.

EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / A Lebanese soldier sits on top of a military vehicle outside the municipality building of the southern Lebanese border village of Blida in the aftermath of an Israeli army raid on the village, on October 30, 2025. The Israeli military on October 30 killed a municipal worker in a raid in southern Lebanon, prompting the Lebanese president to order the army to confront such incursions. Israel's military confirmed the raid, saying it was operating against Hezbollah infrastructure

Lebanon's new army chief to make first visit to US: What to know

Regional and international diplomatic activity in Lebanon is increasing as concerns of a new war between Israel and Hezbollah mount, with Washington working to maintain the ceasefire.

MOHAMED AFRAH/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Org, Saudi partner Dar Global launch crypto scheme for Maldives resort

The deal marks a notable fusion of the Trump family’s traditional real estate business and its expanding foothold in the crypto world, and arrives a day before Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince arrives in Washington.

Win McNamee/Getty Images

Analysis

Saudi Arabia's MBS on 'comeback tour' in first US visit since Khashoggi murder

President Donald Trump will host Saudi Arabia's de facto leader for talks focused on deepening US-Saudi ties, Gaza diplomacy and reciprocal investments.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights