Musk invited to Saudi-US forum tied to Trump’s Middle East visit: Reports

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is among the high-profile invitees to the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh on Tuesday, set to coincide with US President Donald Trump’s Middle East visit, according to a planning note seen by Reuters.

The forum, which is expected to feature blockbuster economic announcements, will include 15 Saudi ministers and top US business leaders such as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, BlackRock’s Larry Fink, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Citigroup’s Jane Fraser, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, Palantir’s Alex Karp, Qualcomm’s Cristiano Amon, IBM’s Arvind Krishna, and Alphabet’s Ruth Porat.

The event will also host senior US officials including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and White House advisor on AI and digital currencies David Sacks.

The forum will cover diverse sectors—energy, AI, defense, aerospace, healthcare, and sustainability—as part of Saudi Arabia’s push to become a global economic hub under Vision 2030. Participants from both nations confirmed the launch of major partnerships in these fields, underscoring Riyadh’s growing role in global trade and innovation.

In January, Trump urged Saudi Arabia to invest over USD 1 trillion in the US economy over four years, including military purchases. A US arms deal with Saudi Arabia exceeding USD 100 billion is reportedly in the pipeline.

Musk’s potential presence highlights a thaw in his relationship with the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund, after years of tension dating back to 2018. Tesla’s launch in the kingdom this April marked a symbolic end to the rift. Relations have improved as Musk took a prominent role in Trump’s reelection campaign and assumed a senior post in the new administration.

Business leaders expect the forum to result in significant deals and collaborations across vital sectors, with Saudi and US firms eyeing strategic partnerships that align with shared economic goals. Several Saudi firms plan to announce joint ventures in energy, defense, space, and technology, with expectations of hundreds of billions in new agreements.