- 19 Nov 2025
The Prince and The President: US-Saudi Relations In Focus
Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy is not only key to its quest for leadership in its immediate region and beyond, but also central to the objectives of Vision 2030 — one of which is to project a modern image of the Kingdom. Chief among these is Riyadh’s partnership with the United States, which has transcended the security dimension. US President Donald Trump’s visit to Riyadh earlier in May concluded with a flurry of deals ranging from real estate projects to AI and tech investments. But defence purchases, particularly American products, remain high priorities, as reports over a potential sale of F-35s have shown.
Where regional affairs are concerned, the Palestinian issue and the spectre of an Israeli hegemon will also likely top discussions when Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman travels to the United States in November — his first visit there since 2018.
Is there a reason behind the timing for the Saudi Crown Prince’s trip to Washington? Is normalisation with Israel still on the cards and what are the conditions? How much further will Riyadh go to diversify its international partnerships, whether in the security domain or otherwise?
The Middle East will host experts on Saudi foreign policy, Aziz Alghashian and Umer Karim, to address the above issues and more.
This event will be conducted online via Zoom on Wednesday, 19 November from 3:00 PM to 4:15 PM (SGT) | 10:00 – 11:15 AM Riyadh. This event is free, however, registration is compulsory. Successful registrants will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom details closer to the date of the event.
Photo caption: People look to a giant screen as US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrive for the Saudi-US investment forum at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center in Riyadh on May 13, 2025. Saudi Arabia on May 13 promised billions of dollars in deals with the United States from defence to artificial intelligence as it threw a lavish welcome for President Donald Trump on the first state visit of his second term. (Photo by Fayez NURELDINE / AFP)
About the Speakers
Lecturer
Naif University for Security Sciences
Aziz Alghashian is a Lecturer at the Riyadh-based Naif University for Security Sciences. His research interests include Saudi-Israeli relations and, more broadly, Gulf-Israeli relations. Previously, Alghashian also served as Director of Research at ORF Middle East. He obtained his PhD from the University of Essex, focusing on Saudi foreign policy towards Israel. At the University of Essex, he also taught courses related to the Middle East, International Relations, and political theory. He holds non-residential affiliations with the Gulf International Forum (GIF), the Arab Gulf States Institute (AGSI), and CARPO. Alghashian is a frequent commentator on various to global media outlets such as as The New York Times and France24.
Associate Research Fellow
King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies
Umer Karim is an Associate Research Fellow at the King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies. His academic research focuses on Saudi foreign policy and politics, particularly on Riyadh’s regional policy outlook and the broader geopolitics of the Middle East. Previously, he was a visiting researcher at the London-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). Mr Karim is in the final stage of completing his PhD with the University of Birmingham.
Research Fellow
Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore
[Moderator] Clemens Chay is a research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute. His research focuses on the history and politics of the Gulf Arab states, including the geopolitics of the region.
