Trump Touches Down in Saudi Arabia, Eyes Billion-Dollar Deals, Gulf Influence

U.S. President Donald Trump has arrived in Riyadh, marking his first multi-day foreign trip since returning to the White House earlier this year.

Trump was received at King Khalid International Airport by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, widely regarded as Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler.

Riyadh is the first stop on Trump’s Gulf tour, which will also include visits to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The trip is expected to center on economic partnerships, the ongoing war in Gaza, and Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Trump is slated to attend the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum on Tuesday before participating in a high-level summit with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain on Wednesday.

One key item on the agenda is a potential agreement on civilian nuclear technology between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. The kingdom has already pledged to invest \$600 billion in the U.S. over the coming years.

Trump said he will be asking the crown prince to increase that to around one trillion dollars.

Saudi Arabia was also Trump’s first international destination in 2017 during his first term in office, following its announcement of \$450 billion in U.S.-bound investments at the time.

This trip to Riyadh marks Trump’s first official overseas visit since resuming office in January, although he briefly visited Rome last month to attend the funeral of Pope Francis.

Trump’s next stop in Doha, Qatar, could draw attention for more than policy reasons, reports suggest he is set to receive a luxury Boeing aircraft as a gift from Qatar’s royal family.

The president has further hinted at a possible visit to Turkey on Thursday, where he may join a high-stakes meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

PUNCH