Trump hosts Saudi prince

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will receive a lavish welcome from US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, signing defense and nuclear deals during his first visit to the United States since the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

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Trump is expected to roll out the red carpet for the prince with a flyby, cannon fire and a gala dinner -- giving the Saudi the equivalent of a state dinner, even though he is not a head of state and is only the kingdom’s de facto ruler.

Trump has made a priority of boosting ties with the oil-rich Gulf kingdom, and said on Monday he would sell coveted F-35 stealth fighters to Saudi Arabia, despite concerns from Israel.

In another area of past contention, he will sign a deal on a framework for civilian nuclear cooperation, a source familiar with the negotiations said.

Trump will also push Prince Mohammed, commonly known as MBS, to normalize relations with Israel as he seeks a wider Middle East peace deal after the war in Gaza.

“We're more than meeting,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Friday when asked about the visit. “We're honoring Saudi Arabia, the Crown Prince.”