Saudi-US investment forum opens in Riyadh during Trump visit

A high-profile Saudi-US investment forum kicked off in Riyadh on Tuesday, coinciding with US President Donald Trump's visit to the Kingdom—his first Middle East tour since returning to office.

Held under the backdrop of renewed strategic ties, the forum brought together senior business leaders from both nations to explore expanded cooperation. Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih announced the Kingdom’s plan to inject $600 billion into the US economy over the next four years.

“The forum comes at a historic moment in which the shared commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and the US is renewed, for the benefit of both countries and the entire world,” Al-Falih said in his opening address.

President Trump had earlier expressed hopes of boosting Saudi investments in the US to nearly $1 trillion following his discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in January. However, the Saudi commitment remains at $600 billion.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan underscored the depth of the bilateral relationship, describing it as one that “gets stronger and stronger every year,” rooted in over 92 years of diplomatic and economic cooperation.

The event is drawing top American executives, including Elon Musk, who is reportedly attending in an advisory capacity. Other notable US attendees include Boeing’s Kelly Ortberg, Northrop Grumman’s Kathy Warden, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey, Alcoa’s William Oplinger, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Amazon CEO Andy Jassy.

President Trump’s broader regional itinerary includes subsequent visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.