U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. AFP=Yonhap News. 

U.S. President Donald Trump engaged in an unusual level of hospitality on November 18 (local time), attending both lunch and dinner with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was visiting the United States.

According to the schedule previously announced by the White House, President Trump was scheduled to hold a welcoming ceremony for Crown Prince bin Salman on the South Lawn of the White House at 11 a.m. that day, followed by bilateral talks and a luncheon.

After finishing lunch, President Trump was to bid farewell to Crown Prince bin Salman at 2 p.m. and then greet him again on the South Lawn at 6:40 p.m. A dinner was planned for about two hours in the East Room, followed by a farewell at 9:10 p.m.

First Lady Melania Trump was also to join for the evening's events.

The schedule, which included both lunch and dinner and spanned from the morning to late afternoon, was described as a state-level reception, even though it was not an official state visit.

According to U.S. media, including CBS, the welcoming ceremony included a cannon salute, the joint hoisting of both countries' flags, and a flyover by U.S. military aircraft.

The dinner was to be a "black-tie formal dinner" format, with 120 guests invited, including 30 members of the Saudi delegation. Although not a state dinner, U.S. media reported it as the first official state dinner hosted by President Trump to honor a foreign leader since his re-election.

While Crown Prince bin Salman is not the head of state, he is considered the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil producer and a major player in the defense industry, has been a long-standing strategic partner of the United States. However, relations had become strained following the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018, making Crown Prince bin Salman's visit to the U.S. particularly noteworthy.

This marks Crown Prince bin Salman's first visit to the United States since the Khashoggi assassination.

President Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. President Trump is seen here greeting Crown Prince bin Salman during his visit to Saudi Arabia in May. AP=Yonhap News

At the time of the incident, President Trump stated, "I want to believe him," and "Saudi Arabia is an important partner," when bin Salman was identified as being behind the assassination.

Even after the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) concluded that Crown Prince bin Salman was behind the assassination of Khashoggi, President Trump consistently defended Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince bin Salman.

President Trump, who began his current term earlier this year, chose Saudi Arabia as one of his first overseas destinations in May and met with Crown Prince bin Salman.

Attention is focused on whether Crown Prince bin Salman, who had been virtually isolated diplomatically after the assassination, will re-emerge on the international diplomatic stage with this visit to the U.S.

It is anticipated that during the meetings, there will be an official announcement regarding the sale of advanced U.S. fighter jets, the F-35, to Saudi Arabia, and the strengthening of economic and defense cooperation between the two countries. Cooperation in civilian nuclear energy is also expected to be a part of the discussions.

President Trump stated his intention to sell advanced U.S. fighter jets, the F-35, to Saudi Arabia the previous day.

The acquisition of F-35 fighter jets had been a long-standing aspiration for Saudi Arabia, but it had not materialized previously due to concerns within the U.S. administration about weakening Israel's military superiority or potential technology leakage to China.

Saudi Arabia is expected to announce plans for investment in AI (artificial intelligence) infrastructure in the United States on this day. Discussions regarding the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia are also anticipated during the meetings.

Yonhap News