Bangladesh, May 14 -- When President Donald Trump stepped off Air Force One in Riyadh on May 13, the moment carried more than ceremonial weight – it marked a decisive pivot in 21st-century geopolitics. Far from a routine reaffirmation of US-Saudi ties, Trumps visit heralded a new era: one where digital innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), and technological diplomacy replace oil and arms as the bedrock of global influence. Dubbed by some as “MAGA in the Desert,” the visit underscored a vision of partnership that seeks not merely to adapt to the digital future – but to shape it.

For over eight decades, the United States and Saudi Arabia have maintained a strategic relationship grounded in mutual interests: ener...