US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he is planning a visit to Saudi Arabia to finalize a massive investment deal worth over $1 trillion, which includes substantial purchases of American military equipment.
Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office, Trump said he expects to make the trip within the next six weeks.
He recalled that his first foreign visit as president in 2017 was also to Riyadh, where he announced Saudi investments worth $350 billion at the time.
“This time, they’ve gotten wealthier, and we’ve all gotten older,” Trump remarked, adding that the Saudis have now committed to investing $1 trillion over the next four years into US companies, including military hardware purchases — a deal Trump said he personally secured.
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Trump praised his strong relationship with the Saudi leadership, describing them as cooperative and friendly.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s influence in US foreign policy appears to be growing. Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, revealed that Saudi Arabia will also be hosting a US-Ukraine meeting next week to discuss a potential ceasefire in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
