WASHINGTON (AP) — From the moment Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pulled up to the White House entrance on the South Lawn on Tuesday, it was clear that President Donald Trump wanted to honor and welcome Saudi Arabia's de facto leader as an ally, friend and coveted source of investment in the United States.
Prince Mohammed received a gunfire salute, a six-jet military flyover and an affectionate handshake and shoulder embrace from Trump. Once in the Oval Office, Trump defended his guest's troubled record on human rights. He excoriated a reporter who asked about Saudi agents killing Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, dismissing the death with a “things happen.”
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The conductor directs the the herald trumpets in the rain as President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump greet Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a dinner at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcome Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a dinner at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shake hands during a dinner in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump speaks during a dinner with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrive through the Blue Room for a dinner in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump escorts Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman into the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets play as President Donald Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Vice President JD Vance, from right, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth watch as President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman walk along the Colonnade to the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump meets Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington, As Vice President JD Vance and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent listen. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump salutes as a solider on horseback passes with an American flag as he waits to welcome Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump walks with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman along the colonnade, at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman watch a flight of F-35's and F-15's during a welcome ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
U.S. Air Force jets flyover downtown Washington as President Donald Trump host Saudi Arabia's Cronw Prince Mohammed bin Salman,Tuesday, Nov., 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Donald Trump points to a reporter as he meets Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
ABC News reporter Mary Bruce asks a question as President Donald Trump meets Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Members of an honor guard stand along a fence next to a construction zone at the White House prior to the arrival of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump walks with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman along the colonnade toward the Oval Office, at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
U.S. Marine Corps prepare to open the doors to the Diplomatic Reception Room for visiting Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Canons fire as President Donald Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump shows Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman portraits of former president as they walk along the Colonnade at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
U.S. Air Force jets flyover as President Donald Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump meets Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
The president seemed determined to leave no daylight between him and the 40-year-old prince. At one point, Trump slapped the air in the apparent hope of giving the Saudi official a mid-level high-five, and the pair ended up in what appeared to be a hand-hug. “We’ve been really good friends for a long period of time,” Trump said. “We’ve always been on the same side of every issue.”
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
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Associated Press writer Josh Boak contributed to this report.
The conductor directs the the herald trumpets in the rain as President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump greet Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a dinner at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcome Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a dinner at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shake hands during a dinner in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump speaks during a dinner with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrive through the Blue Room for a dinner in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump escorts Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman into the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets play as President Donald Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Vice President JD Vance, from right, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth watch as President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman walk along the Colonnade to the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump meets Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington, As Vice President JD Vance and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent listen. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump salutes as a solider on horseback passes with an American flag as he waits to welcome Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump walks with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman along the colonnade, at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman watch a flight of F-35's and F-15's during a welcome ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
U.S. Air Force jets flyover downtown Washington as President Donald Trump host Saudi Arabia's Cronw Prince Mohammed bin Salman,Tuesday, Nov., 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Donald Trump points to a reporter as he meets Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
ABC News reporter Mary Bruce asks a question as President Donald Trump meets Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Members of an honor guard stand along a fence next to a construction zone at the White House prior to the arrival of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump walks with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman along the colonnade toward the Oval Office, at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
U.S. Marine Corps prepare to open the doors to the Diplomatic Reception Room for visiting Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Canons fire as President Donald Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump shows Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman portraits of former president as they walk along the Colonnade at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
U.S. Air Force jets flyover as President Donald Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump meets Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
