Saudi Arabia Designated Major Non-NATO Ally: Trump, Crown Prince MBS, White House Dinner

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania hosted a lavish black-tie dinner at the White House for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, No, marking the prince’s first visit to the U.S. since the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which a 2021 U.S. intelligence assessment concluded he approved, a conclusion he denies.

During the event, Trump announced the designation of Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, a move granting the kingdom enhanced defense, trade, and security cooperation benefits, including priority access to American-made military equipment like F-35 fighter jets.

The dinner, attended by a star-studded guest list including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook, golfer Bryson DeChambeau, soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo who plays for Saudi club Al-Nassr, and other global business leaders, was framed by Trump as a celebration of deepening strategic ties and a $1 trillion Saudi investment pledge in the U.S. economy. Other dignitaries in attendance include Jensen Huang (Nvidia), and executives from Chevron, and General Motors. The event also featured top U.S. administration officials including Vice President JD Vance, and members of the royal family.

The presence of Musk, who had a public falling-out with Trump earlier in the year, was seen as a sign of a thaw in their relationship.

In his remarks, Trump praised the crown prince as a “great friend and a man of leadership, vision, courage and strength,” and boasted that “this room is loaded up with the biggest leaders in the world, business, sports.” He announced the non-NATO ally designation, saying, “I’m just telling you now for the first time because I wanted to keep a little secret for tonight.” Trump also highlighted his son Barron’s admiration for Ronaldo, quipping that Barron “respects his father a little bit more now” after meeting the soccer star.

“My son is a big fan of Ronaldo," Trump said. "And Baron got to meet him, and I think he respects his father a little bit more now, just the fact that I introduced you.”

The visit occurred amid significant diplomatic and economic developments. Trump had earlier defended the crown prince in the Oval Office, dismissing the CIA’s assessment of his involvement in Khashoggi’s murder and calling the journalist “extremely controversial.” The Saudi government initially denied knowledge of the killing but later charged agents linked to the prince’s inner circle, while the crown prince himself denied any involvement.

The U.S. designation of Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally and the signing of agreements on civil nuclear energy and F-35 sales represent a major reset in U.S.-Saudi relations, reversing earlier criticism under the Biden administration. The $1 trillion investment pledge, up from a prior $600 billion commitment, is expected to flow into sectors like artificial intelligence, rare materials, and advanced manufacturing.

The event drew sharp criticism from Democrats, with Senator Elizabeth Warren calling it a “serious disgrace” to honor a man the CIA says ordered a journalist’s murder Senator Patty Murray echoed this sentiment, condemning the White House for “rolling out the red carpet for a foreign dictator.”