Saudi Arabia pledges $600 billion investment in the US following MBS-Trump call

In a significant development, Saudi Arabia has committed to bolstering its trade and investment with the United States by pledging $600 billion over the next four years. The announcement came after a phone conversation between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and US President Donald Trump, marking Trump’s first interaction with a foreign leader during his second term.

This investment pledge follows a series of similar commitments by global businesses, signaling alignment with Trump’s economic agenda. Notably, last month, SoftBank announced a $100 billion investment in the US over the next four years, and just yesterday, OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle revealed a Trump-endorsed $500 billion initiative called ‘Stargate’ to develop AI infrastructure, including data centers.

Saudi state media reported that MBS praised Trump’s ability to drive “unprecedented economic prosperity” in the US and expressed Saudi Arabia’s eagerness to contribute to this growth. Although specific details about the allocation of the pledged funds were not disclosed, industry experts believe the investments will likely target the sports, technology, and defense sectors.

Historically, the US-Saudi relationship has revolved around energy and arms. While America has reduced its reliance on Saudi oil in recent years, Saudi Arabia continues to depend on the US for advanced weaponry. Additionally, MBS has been diversifying Saudi Arabia’s economy, heavily investing in sports and technology, making these sectors probable beneficiaries of the new pledge.

President Trump, in response, affirmed his commitment to working with Saudi Arabia on initiatives benefiting both nations. Reflecting on his 2017 visit to Saudi Arabia during his first term, Trump noted that the trip came after the Kingdom’s promise to invest $450 billion in the US. On Monday, Trump remarked that another visit to Saudi Arabia could be on the horizon if similar financial commitments were secured.

“The first foreign trip is traditionally to the UK, but I chose Saudi Arabia in 2017 because they agreed to buy $450 billion worth of US products. If they’re willing to commit another $450 billion—or even $500 billion to account for inflation—I’d probably go again,” Trump stated.

As Saudi Arabia strengthens its ties with the US through these ambitious investments, this move signals a continuation of their long-standing strategic partnership.