Trump in Saudi Arabia on Gulf tour, eyeing major deals
Donald Trump enjoyed a lavish welcome in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday as he opened the first state visit of his second term, with the US president eyeing major business deals even as progress on the Middle East’s hotspots will likely be harder to reach.
Saudi fighter jets escorted Air Force One as Trump landed in Riyadh, the first stop on a tour of oil-rich Gulf monarchies that will also take him to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Trump pounded his fist in the air as he looked out on a military honour guard with Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, walking the tarmac to shake the president’s hand.
Trump will later address an investment forum in Riyadh expected to be attended by US business leaders including his friend and adviser Elon Musk.
His decision to bypass traditional Western allies to travel first to the Gulf states underscores their increasingly crucial geopolitical role — along with his own business relations in the region.
Eight years ago Trump also chose Saudi Arabia for his first overseas trip as president — when he memorably posed with a glowing orb and participated in a sword dance.
Trump’s close relationship with the Saudis contrasts with a more hesitant initial approach by former president Joe Biden, who had vowed to punish the crown prince after US intelligence found that he ordered the murder of Saudi dissident and US resident Jamal Khashoggi.
Since Khashoggi’s gruesome 2018 killing, Saudi Arabia has worked aggressively to change its image, from easing restrictions on women to pursuing initiatives in new areas such as artificial intelligence.
Saudi Arabia has also increasingly exercised diplomatic clout, serving as a neutral venue for the United States to pursue talks with Ukraine and Russia.
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have also sought outsized international roles, with the Qataris serving as the go-between for US-brokered diplomacy between Israel and Hamas.
