On the 18th (local time), Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia and U.S. President Donald Trump hold bilateral talks at the White House in Washington D.C., U.S. UPI Yonhap News

With Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to the United States, Saudi Arabia, once an "international pariah," is now being re-evaluated as a central country in U.S. Middle East policy.

On the 18th (local time), Crown Prince bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, held bilateral talks with President Trump at the White House in Washington D.C. and agreed to expand economic and defense cooperation between the two countries.

On this day, Crown Prince bin Salman secured a promise from President Trump to acquire state-of-the-art F-35 stealth fighter jets. This was a long-cherished goal for air force modernization and responding to Iranian threats, but it was finally achieved after facing opposition due to Israel's objections and concerns about technology leaks to China.

In return, he raised Saudi Arabia's investment in the U.S. from $600 billion to $1 trillion.

Conversely, he succeeded in postponing discussions on joining the 'Abraham Accords,' aimed at normalizing diplomatic relations between Israel and Arab nations.

He reaffirmed his previous stance that a path to the 'two-state solution' must be guaranteed, stating that Israel must allow the establishment of a Palestinian state.

On this day, President Trump welcomed Crown Prince bin Salman with unprecedented protocol. He spent the day with the Crown Prince from morning until late afternoon, including official meals, which was seen as a reception befitting a state guest.

This was a grand welcome ceremony seven years after he was effectively ostracized from the international diplomatic stage following the assassination of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018.

The New York Times (NYT) described this as "perhaps the most stunning geopolitical rehabilitation in modern history."

The de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, whom former U.S. President Joe Biden vowed to make an international pariah six years ago, has reset the relationship with the United States on his own terms during President Trump's second term.

In this regard, Megan O'Sullivan, Director of the Belfer Center at Harvard University, said, "We are witnessing a top-tier 'comeback tour'."

O'Sullivan explained, "(Crown Prince bin Salman) has aligned Saudi Arabia with U.S. interests more than ever before, pursuing an aggressive technology strategy alongside an oil policy that helps maintain low oil prices."

U.S. President Donald Trump greets Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia during bilateral talks at the White House in Washington D.C. on the 18th (local time). Reuters Yonhap News

The NYT also reported that political scientists and Middle East experts would spend years studying how Crown Prince bin Salman achieved this.

It added that it is not a foregone conclusion that Crown Prince bin Salman has overcome the challenges of social reform and political ruthlessness domestically, and that his accurate understanding of how to deal with President Trump was helpful.

At the time of the Khashoggi assassination, President Trump, in his first year in office, stated that it was unclear who was behind the incident and that if Crown Prince bin Salman was responsible, he would be held accountable.

Subsequently, a report from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) leaked, suggesting that Crown Prince bin Salman knew about the Khashoggi assassination plot and likely approved it.

Crown Prince bin Salman's visit to the U.S. was bound to face significant opposition, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, he took his time and gradually approached the U.S.

In 2022, the assertive former President Biden visited Saudi Arabia and created an intimate scene by exchanging a "fist bump" with Crown Prince bin Salman.

Although the visit was aimed at resolving the issue of high oil prices, President Biden was criticized for backtracking on human rights values, failing to achieve concrete results, and instead bolstering Crown Prince bin Salman's status.

Following President Trump's return to office, it has been Crown Prince bin Salman's heyday.

President Trump's defense of him at the meeting on this day is a prime example.

When a broadcast reporter asked about the Khashoggi assassination, President Trump expressed his displeasure, stating that Khashoggi was a controversial figure. This gave the impression of justifying murder.

President Trump's remark, "That could be the case," is a statement that will remain controversial long after Crown Prince bin Salman leaves the United States, the NYT pointed out.