RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) – Saudi Arabia’s royal court said Monday the kingdom’s second-in-line to the throne will meet President Donald Trump at the White House in the highest-level visit to Washington by a Saudi royal since November’s presidential election.
Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also defense minister and King Salman’s son, is scheduled to start his Washington visit on Thursday. He departs for the United States on Monday.
The royal court, in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, said that Prince Mohammed will meet with Trump and a number of U.S. officials to discuss “the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries and regional issues of mutual interest.”
The prince is spearheading the kingdom’s economic overhaul to become less dependent on oil and its major investments in U.S. technology firms.
No details were given on when he would meet Trump. He will be the first Gulf Arab royal to meet the president since his inauguration.