President Trump greeted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House with full military honors, a red-carpet welcome and an aerial flyover — a dramatic show of American pageantry that underscored the administration’s emphasis on projecting strength and securing strategic partnerships. The visit was marked by high ceremony and clear signals that Washington is prioritizing defense and economic ties with Riyadh.
The meeting represents a significant thaw in relations after the global fallout from the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi, and it brought the crown prince back to Washington for talks centered on defense sales, civil nuclear cooperation and major investment pledges. The optics were unmistakable: the United States is re-engaging with Saudi leadership at the highest level, aiming to translate ceremony into tangible deals.
Among the headline items discussed were potential weapons sales and technology transfers, including reported interest in advanced fighter jets — moves that will bolster U.S. defense manufacturers and deepen military interoperability with a key regional partner. For conservatives who prioritize a strong defense industrial base and deterrence against hostile actors, these are practical, results-oriented outcomes worth pursuing.
Beyond weapons, the summit emphasized economic cooperation on AI, energy and infrastructure, with Saudi investment touted as an engine for American jobs and growth while simultaneously serving strategic goals like countering Chinese influence in the Middle East. The administration framed the visit as part of a broader strategy to secure American interests abroad through alliances, not apologies.
Critics on the left rushed to moralize and boycott the choreography, but governing requires hard choices and leverage — not virtue-signaling isolation that leaves American companies and workers on the sidelines. Strong conservatives should insist on using every diplomatic engagement to lock in enforceable protections for U.S. intellectual property, strict end-use assurances, and oversight to prevent technology from slipping into adversary hands.
Human rights concerns were raised by advocacy groups and some lawmakers, and those concerns deserve attention; diplomacy and accountability can and should coexist with strategic partnership. The prudent path is to press Riyadh for concrete reforms where leverage exists while securing American jobs, technology safeguards, and regional stability — a balanced approach that serves national interests.
If this visit yields measurable economic and security gains for the United States, it will vindicate the administration’s posture of strength and deal-making. Lawmakers must now do their part: scrutinize agreements carefully, protect American workers and technology, and ensure that U.S. foreign policy advances prosperity and peace rather than hollow posturing.
