U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday, marking the start of his first multi-day foreign trip since reclaiming the White House earlier this year.
He was warmly welcomed at King Khalid International Airport by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler.
This visit to Saudi Arabia kicks off a broader Gulf tour that will include stops in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The trip’s main focus is on securing economic agreements, addressing the war in Gaza, and discussing Iran’s nuclear program.
Trump is slated to participate in a Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum on Tuesday, followed by a summit on Wednesday with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain. A key agenda item is a potential agreement on civilian nuclear technology, which would support Saudi Arabia’s ambitions in nuclear energy.
Saudi Arabia has already committed to investing $600 billion in the U.S. over the coming years, but Trump is pushing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to increase that figure to around $1 trillion. This echoes Trump’s first presidential term, when Saudi Arabia was also his first foreign destination and pledged $450 billion in U.S. investments.
The president’s visit to Doha may be overshadowed by reports that he is set to accept a luxury Boeing 747 aircraft from Qatar’s royal family as a gift, which could serve as a new Air Force One during his term. Trump has also hinted at possibly flying to Turkey to attend a potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
This trip marks Trump’s first official overseas visit since January, although he recently traveled briefly to Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral.
