US and Saudi Arabia Deepen Ties With New Investment Commitments

The United States and Saudi Arabia signaled a renewed phase in their relationship this week, highlighting billions of dollars in new investment commitments during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington. It was his first trip to the US capital since 2018.

Standing alongside former President Donald Trump at the White House, the Crown Prince said Saudi Arabia plans to increase its investments in the United States to $1 trillion, up from the $600 billion commitment announced during Trump’s visit to Riyadh in 2018. No timeline or specific breakdown was provided. Trump, speaking at the event, encouraged the Saudi leadership to go further, suggesting a target of $1.5 trillion.

The visit coincided with the announcement of roughly $270 billion worth of signed agreements between US and Saudi entities. These included planned purchases of advanced AI chips from Nvidia by a Saudi artificial intelligence company, signaling the kingdom’s growing focus on building AI capabilities.

Saudi firm HUMAIN and Elon Musk’s xAI also announced plans to jointly develop data centers in Saudi Arabia, including a large 500 megawatt facility. In another strategic move, MP Materials said it would build a rare earths refinery in partnership with US and Saudi stakeholders, highlighting shared interest in securing critical supply chains.

Saudi Aramco separately signed more than $30 billion in agreements with US companies, reinforcing energy and industrial cooperation between the two countries.

The Crown Prince also met with several senior corporate leaders during the visit, marking a visible return to Washington’s political and business circles. His last high-profile visit in 2018 came shortly after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an incident US intelligence agencies have linked to him. Bin Salman has consistently denied ordering the killing.

Technology and artificial intelligence featured prominently in the discussions. Elon Musk said advances in AI could make traditional work optional within the next 10 to 20 years, while Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang spoke about how AI is expected to reshape jobs and productivity across industries.

Despite the ambitious investment figures, analysts remain cautious about whether Saudi Arabia can realistically deploy $1 trillion into the US, given the kingdom’s heavy domestic spending on large-scale projects such as new cities, infrastructure, and upcoming global sporting events. Still, Saudi Arabia’s access to land, energy, and capital positions it as a key player in the global buildout of AI infrastructure.

Trump, who has longstanding business ties to Saudi Arabia, addressed potential concerns over conflicts of interest by stating that he is not involved in his family’s business dealings.

The visit underscores a pragmatic recalibration of US–Saudi relations, with both sides focusing on technology, energy, and long-term economic cooperation.