Today's Edition
WASHINGTON (AFP)
Donald Trump hailed a $1 trillion investment pledge Tuesday by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the US president laid on a lavish welcome at the White House.
Trump welcomed the Saudi leader with a parade of soldiers on horseback and a military flypast featuring F-35 jets that he said Washington would soon sell to Riyadh.
The heir to the Saudi throne announced during the visit that he was increasing the $600 billion Saudi investment he promised Trump when the US president visited the country in May.
"We can announce that we are going to increase that $600 billion to almost $1 trillion for investment," Prince Mohammed said in the Oval Office.
Trump greeted the Saudi Crown Prince on the South Lawn of the White House as cannon fire boomed out, before they watched the noisy flypast by US military jets.
The 79-year-old Republican then showed the prince a new gallery of presidential portraits by the Rose Garden. Later in the day First Lady Melania Trump will hold a gala dinner.
Portugal soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays in Saudi Arabia, will also be at the White House for the gala day of events, a White House official told AFP.
Trump also reiterated during the visit his intention to sell Saudi Arabia F-35 stealth fighters.
