Trump–MBS Meeting Turns Tense Over Israel Normalization, Officials Say

by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – U.S. President Donald Trump’s White House meeting last week with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was “civil but difficult,” according to multiple U.S. officials cited by Channel 12 and Axios, with tensions flaring behind closed doors over the pace of Saudi–Israel normalization.

According to the reports, Trump pressed the crown prince to move forward immediately with joining the Abraham Accords. Bin Salman pushed back, insisting normalization remains impossible for now due to overwhelming anti-Israel sentiment in Saudi Arabia following the Gaza war.

Officials told Channel 12 the exchange left Trump “disappointed and angry,” though the discussion remained polite. One senior official stressed that MBS “did not say ‘never’” and kept the door open to normalization in the future — but emphasized that the two-state solution remains a major obstacle, echoing the Saudi leader’s public remarks at the White House.

Axios similarly reported that while the two leaders exchanged warm praise in public, the private conversation turned tense when Trump again pushed for Saudi participation in the accords. Three sources told the outlet that MBS held firm, arguing Saudi society “is not ready for normalization” after the Israel-Hamas war. Another official described the mood as “disappointment and irritation,” noting that “MBS is a strong man. He stood his ground.”

The White House declined to confirm the specifics of the exchange but reiterated that “President Trump calls on all Middle Eastern countries to join the Abraham Accords,” especially now that the Gaza war has ended and Iran’s nuclear program has been set back.

Defense cooperation and major investments also featured prominently.

Trump told reporters that he supports selling F-35 stealth fighters to Saudi Arabia under an arrangement similar to Israel’s and suggested a U.S.–Saudi civil nuclear deal may soon be feasible. He also announced that MBS committed to $600 billion in U.S. investments — with a pledge to raise that to $1 trillion.

The Saudi Embassy declined to comment on the reports.

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