WASHINGTON (UNITED STATES) (ITALPRESS) – US President Donald Trump today received Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, welcomed with a special ceremony in South Lawn accompanied by the military band. Subsequently the two leaders went to the Oval Studio to discuss bilateral economic investments and the current situation in the Middle East. Trump called bin Salman an indispensable actor for the reconstruction of lasting peace in Gaza in the coming years. This is the first visit of the Saudi prince to the White House since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in 2018. “We have an extremely respected man in the Oval Studio today,” Trump said at the beginning of the meeting, calling bin Salman “a long-time friend”. In his speech the president also praised the Prince’s father and spoke of the economic results achieved under his guidance. Trump cited record investments in the United States, stating that “21 trillion dollars will be invested or committed by August. In nine months we arrived at almost 18 trillion, while the Biden administration managed less than one trillion in four years.”.
The Saudi Crown Prince declared that his country intends to increase financial commitments to the United States from $600 billion to $1 trillion. When asked about possible investment support despite low oil prices, bin Salman indicated that the offers on computer chips fit into the country’s strategic development. During the meeting, Trump turned hard to a journalist from Abc News who had asked bin Salman about the death of Khashoggi, stating that the prince “knew nothing” and calling the issuer Abc “fake news”. The president again criticized the journalist for a question concerning the file of the investigation on Jeffrey Epstein, suggesting that the network license should be revoked for the spread of “false and wrong” news. In the evening bin Salman is again expected to the White House for a dinner organized by First Lady Melania Trump. Before entering the Oval Studio, Trump showed the prince the paintings of the American presidents installed along the colonnade of the White House from his administration, dwelling in front of the portraits of Thomas Jefferson and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The installation had provoked discussions about the absence of the photo of former president Joe Biden, replaced by a fountain pen with his signature.
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
