WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump hosted Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa at the White House on July 16 for a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office.
“It is indeed a great honor to be here on this fine morning, to put into action the relationship that exists between our two countries,” the crown prince said during the meeting.
“We will be discussing security issues. We'll be discussing trade and investment, which is very important.”
He touted $17 billion in newly announced business deals between the two countries.
“And this is real. It’s real money,” Salman said. “These aren’t fake deals.”
Trump said the two nations are bound by mutually beneficial ties.
“We’ve had a tremendous relationship. I have personally worked with Bahrain over the years, and it has been a fantastic ally,” he said. “And anything they needed, we helped them, and anything we needed, they helped us.”
Further discussions took place over lunch in the Cabinet Room at the Executive Mansion.
“Strengthening cooperation between the two countries is crucial to create opportunities for development through joint investments, expertise exchange, and partnerships that advance mutual interests.”
Bahrain’s alignment with American interests bolsters stability in the Middle East, according to the statement.
The nation hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in the Persian Gulf as well as the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
Officials also announced a series of measures to bolster cooperation between the two countries.
A group of financial institutions and private sector firms from Bahrain is committing to make nearly $11 billion of investments in the United States, according to the crown prince’s office.
Another $2 billion will help fund the aluminum industry in the United States.
To facilitate travel, direct flights will begin between New York City and the Middle Eastern nation, the office said.
The crown prince, who also serves as the nation’s prime minister, is the son of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa.
After studying in Bahrain, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in public administration from American University in Washington, and subsequently earned a master’s in philosophy and history from the University of Cambridge in England, according to the Bahraini government’s website.
The two leaders last met in September 2019 when the crown prince visited the White House to discuss trade and security issues, with the crown prince signing an agreement to purchase the country’s first Patriot missile system.
