At Trump's Saudi Dinner, Big Names, Big Money, and a New Alliance

It was a "lavish welcome" in DC on Tuesday for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a warm greeting that extended into the evening with a black-tie state dinner at the White House—"a stunning attempt at rehabilitating the image of the prince," who US intel agencies found was responsible for the murder of US journalist Jamal Khashoggi, per USA Today. More on the high-profile visit—the crown prince's first since Khashoggi's 2018 killing—and its implications:

• Money boost: One big development that emerged on Tuesday was that the crown prince, aka MBS, announced that initial Saudi investment pledges in the United States of $600 billion were being upped to $1 trillion. "We had a big day today, a very big day for both countries," said Trump. "We've gotten to know each other well over the years."

• New designation: Trump also revealed what he called his "little secret"—that his administration has deemed Saudi Arabia a "major non-NATO ally," which USA Today notes is "a designation granted by the United States to countries with close and strategic working relationships with the US military and defense civilians." According to the State Department, Saudi Arabia is the 20th nation to receive this status, reports the New York Post.
• Compliments galore: Trump had plenty of nice things to say about the crown prince, who in 2019 then-presidential candidate Joe Biden had vowed to make a pariah over the Khashoggi killing. Trump's take on MBS on Tuesday evening, per USA Today: "a great friend and a man of leadership, vision, courage, and strength."
• Who's who: The dinner was a star-studded event, with the likes of soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo, Apple chief Tim Cook, Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, and former DOGE leader Elon Musk in attendance, per the New York Times, which also details the ties to Saudi Arabia claimed by many of the luminaries who were there. The paper points out it was Musk's first return to the White House "since he left his role in the administration in dramatic fashion." Business Insider notes it's not clear if every person listed on the complete guest list (seen at the Times) was actually there.
• Khashoggi's widow: Hanan Elatr Khashoggi had something to say about MBS while he was in town. "The Crown Prince said he was sorry so he should meet me, apologize and compensate me for the murder of my husband," she wrote on X. The late journalist's wife had more to say to Trump directly at CNN.