President Donald Trump received a grand welcome from Saudi Arabia during his first major international trip since returning to office.
Saudi fighter jets escorted Air Force One as it entered the kingdom’s airspace. Upon arrival at the Royal Terminal at King Khalid International Airport, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greeted Trump on a red carpet.
The two leaders, along with Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marc Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, later convened for Arabic coffee in ornate navy-and-gold chairs at the Saudi Royal Court. Prominent U.S. business leaders, including Tesla CEO and Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk, Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzman, and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, were also present.
Later on Tuesday, Trump is scheduled to attend a dinner with MBS and a U.S.-Saudi investment event. Economic deals between the U.S. and wealthy Gulf nations will be a primary focus of the initial stage of Trump’s four-day Middle East tour. MBS had previously visited Trump in the U.S., and Trump reciprocated.
The anticipated business agreements will encompass energy, AI, manufacturing, and defense sectors. The U.S. is expected to offer Saudi Arabia an arms package valued at over $100 billion.
“There is also the potential for a civil-nuclear deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, which was long tied to the possibility of Saudi-Israel normalization but has recently been decoupled,” Elizabeth Dent, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told TIME.
Experts like Dent suggest these potential deals could significantly benefit Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan to diversify its economy away from oil dependence.
While in Saudi Arabia, Trump is slated to participate in a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit. Discussions will cover broader diplomatic issues, including efforts to resolve the conflict in Gaza and potential nuclear talks with Iran.
Later in the week, Trump will travel to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to further discuss diplomatic and investment opportunities. The President also mentioned his intention to accept a luxury jet as a gift from Qatar.
Trump’s first overseas trip during his previous term was also to the Middle East, and a similar start was expected upon his return to the White House. However, the President traveled abroad last month to attend the World Economic Forum.
In May 2017, Trump addressed the Arab-Islamic-American summit in Riyadh, where regional leaders gathered to address security and terrorism concerns. The establishment of a counter-extremism center in Riyadh was a key result of that visit, mirroring the anticipated outcomes of this week’s trip.
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