Sputnik - Ahead of US President Donald Trump�s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, unofficial sources are claiming that Riyadh will be attempting to curry favor with Washington by pulling out the checkbook for America�s highways.





According to�a recent Bloomberg report, Saudi Arabia is seeking to�diversify its investment in�fossil fuels, and will pump as�much as $40 billion into�rebuilding and repairing infrastructure in�the US.

President Trump is traveling to�the kingdom on�May 19, and according to�unnamed sources cited by�Reuters, an estimated $40 billion from�Riyadh's sovereign wealth fund will be made available to�the US as�an investment into�rebuilding highways and bridges in�the country that are falling apart.

In the wake of�the previous US administration's participation in�the historic nuclear deal with�Iran, Saudi Arabia is now seen to�be attempting to�restart positive relations with�Washington.

Riyadh claimed a "historic turning point" in�diplomatic relations between�the two countries after�Trump met with�the kingdom's deputy crown prince at�the White House several months ago, according to�Bloomberg.
Next week, Trump will travel outside�of the US for�the first time since�his inauguration, visiting Riyadh and Jerusalem, before�heading north to�Europe.


Representatives from�Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and its Ministry of�Finance have not publicly commented on�the story.

Trump campaigned on�a pledge to�infuse an estimated $1 trillion into�US infrastructure projects, including highways, rail networks, bridges, mass transport systems, and seaports. The White House has asserted that over�the next four years it will create a US-Saudi program valued at�over $200 billion to�rebuild or repair assets in�the energy, industry, infrastructure and technology spheres.

Following a global slump in�oil prices, Saudi Arabia has actively sought to�diversify its investments, primarily deploying enormous cash infusions into�the technology sector, including a $3.5 billion June 2016 play into�rideshare company Uber.