United States President Donald Trump arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday, marking his first official foreign visit since taking office on 20th January. The Gulf visit begins in Saudi Arabia, followed by Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Trump’s plane landed at King Khalid International Airport, where he was received by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Crown Prince and President Trump proceeded to the lounge at the airport for a brief reception, during which they exchanged cordial conversations and were served traditional Saudi coffee, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
According to Al Arabiya News, President Trump has described his visit to the Gulf a “historic” trip, noting its significant political and economic implications. The visit comes amid fast-moving regional developments and highlights Riyadh’s role as a strategic partner to Washington on issues of security, energy, and counterterrorism.
Later today, the Crown Prince and President Trump are scheduled to hold bilateral talks.
Accompanying President Trump are US Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, who will participate in official meetings in Riyadh. US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick is also expected to join the delegation.
Senior White House officials, including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and several Vice Presidential aides, will also accompany the president, according to CNN.
High-profile business leaders are expected to attend the Saudi-US Investment Forum later today, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, and top executives from BlackRock, Citigroup, IBM, Boeing, Delta Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines, and others.
WAM