Trump’s Upcoming Visit to Riyadh: A New Round of Deals and Power Play

Watan-U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing for an upcoming visit to Riyadh, in a move that brings back memories of his first visit in 2017, when he returned to Washington loaded with hundreds of billions of dollars from Saudi Arabia.

This time, the situation does not seem much different—perhaps even surpassing previous expectations. Trump has revealed that he has secured approval from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a $1 trillion investment in American companies over four years. This massive figure reflects the level of extortion the former U.S. president continues to exert on the kingdom.

Trump, who has long boasted about “milking” Saudi Arabia, did not hide his satisfaction with the deal, stating that this sum is “meager compared to what Riyadh possesses.” He reminded the world that it was he who provided protection for the Saudi regime and, therefore, deserves such a generous reward.

Trump’s Strategy: Pay-for-Protection and Saudi Relations

Trump’s remarks bring back the theory of “pay-for-protection,” which he used during his first presidential term when he explicitly stated: “Without the United States, some regimes in the region wouldn’t last more than two weeks.”

Trump has scheduled the visit for the coming spring, making Riyadh his first foreign destination—just as he did in his first term when he landed in the kingdom, performed the traditional Saudi sword dance, and returned with arms deals and investment contracts worth $450 billion. However, today’s circumstances are different; Bin Salman is no longer just a young crown prince seeking power but has become the kingdom’s de facto ruler, with expectations that he may be officially declared king before his father’s passing.

Saudi-Israel Normalization and U.S. Influence

Simultaneously, Riyadh is working to strengthen normalization agreements with Israel—an initiative that Trump laid the groundwork for in the Saudi-American “Vision 2030” agreements. These issues are expected to be central to the visit, as Trump aims to continue what he started with the “Abraham Accords,” while Saudi Arabia continues reshaping its relationship with Tel Aviv under the umbrella of American interests.

The key question remains: Will Riyadh continue to yield to Trump’s financial and political demands, or will Bin Salman—who aspires to be an unrestrained king—attempt to maneuver away from U.S. pressure, even if only symbolically? Only the coming days will reveal whether Trump can continue to “milk the prince” or if the kingdom has different calculations amid the region’s shifting geopolitical landscape.