The gala dinner was marked by a spectacular diplomatic rehabilitation. Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that Saudi Arabia was becoming a “major non-NATO ally” at a reception at the White House in honor of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington.
“Tonight, I am proud to announce that we are taking our military cooperation to a higher level by officially designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, which is something that is very important to them,” the US president said.
Nineteen countries currently benefit from special status providing close military cooperation with the United States.
Delivery of F-35 fighter jets
The restoration of diplomatic relations was accompanied by important agreements in the fields of defense and energy. The crown prince secured promises of “future” deliveries of F-35 fighter jets as part of a bilateral “Defense Agreement,” increased cooperation in civil nuclear power, and access to advanced American technology in the field of artificial intelligence.
The two countries ratified a “joint declaration” on civil nuclear energy that “creates the legal basis for decades of multibillion-dollar cooperation” and is “conducted in accordance with strong non-proliferation rules,” according to the American executive.
Saudi Arabia and the United States also signed an agreement giving the oil monarchy, which is seeking to diversify its economy, “access to cutting-edge American artificial intelligence systems” while protecting this technology from “foreign interference.”
Received with a horse escort, cannon fire and a fighter plane flyover, the de facto leader of the Saudi kingdom even earned praise from the American president for his “extraordinary human rights” record. »
Accepted as head of state
Donald Trump also vigorously defended the Saudi crown prince on Tuesday over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Residing in the United States, critical of Saudi power after being close to it, Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by agents from Saudi Arabia.
His dismembered body was never found. The American secret service pointed to Mohammed bin Salman’s direct responsibility, practically freezing relations with the United States for the time being.
While his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, wanted to treat Mohammed bin Salman as a “pariah”, the American president received him with the same respect as if he were a head of state, even though his father, King Salman, remains the ruler.
Washington is trying to ensure that China, which is close to Saudi Arabia, will not get its hands on America’s latest chip innovations.
Mohammed bin Salman promised to increase the amount of Saudi investment in the United States in the future to 1,000 billion dollars, compared to the previous 600 dollars, as requested by Donald Trump.
On the other hand, he is delaying an urgent request from the American president, who wants Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, his grand project to normalize relations between Arab countries and Israel.
