U.S. President Donald Trump landed in Riyadh on Tuesday for a high-stakes diplomatic and economic tour of the Gulf region, marking his first extended foreign trip since reclaiming the White House earlier this year.
Trump was warmly received at King Khalid International Airport by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, widely regarded as the kingdom’s de facto ruler. His arrival signals the start of a Gulf tour that includes stops in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
The visit is expected to be dominated by discussions around billion-dollar investment deals, regional security, and nuclear cooperation, with particular focus on the war in Gaza and Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
President Trump is slated to attend a Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum on Tuesday, where preliminary talks are expected on a civilian nuclear technology agreement with Saudi Arabia. This follows the kingdom’s recent announcement of plans to invest $600 billion in the U.S. economy — a figure Trump says he hopes to push to $1 trillion.
“Saudi Arabia is a vital economic and strategic partner. We’re here to deepen that relationship,” Trump said ahead of his arrival.
This visit also echoes his 2017 trip to Riyadh, which was his first international tour as president during his first term. That visit yielded $450 billion in U.S.-Saudi investment pledges.
On Wednesday, Trump will meet with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain, in a summit that observers say could reshape the U.S. engagement in the Gulf.
However, controversy looms over reports suggesting that Trump may receive a luxury Boeing aircraft from Qatar’s royal family during his stop in Doha. This potential gift has drawn scrutiny amid ongoing debates over presidential ethics.
The trip may conclude with a surprise leg to Turkey, where Trump hinted he could join a proposed meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — a move that could signal deeper U.S. involvement in brokering peace in the ongoing conflict.
This Gulf tour underscores the Trump administration’s effort to reassert American influence in the Middle East, leveraging business diplomacy as a key tool for securing alliances and investments.
— NAN
