U.S. President Donald Trump received a lavish welcome in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday as he kicked off a three-day Gulf tour aimed at securing over $1 trillion in investment commitments, starting with meetings with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh.
The American leader stepped off Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport’s Royal Terminal to be greeted by the Saudi Crown Prince on a lavender carpet, before the two leaders sat down in ornate navy-and-gold armchairs in a marble-columned hall.
The elaborate reception marked a stark contrast to the treatment President Joe Biden received during his 2022 visit, when the Crown Prince sent a lower-ranking delegation to greet him. The ceremony included an honour guard, traditional Arabian horsemen carrying Saudi and American flags, and Saudi F-15 fighter jets providing an “honorary escort” to Air Force One.
Accompanying Trump were Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and other senior administration officials, as well as dozens of American business leaders, including Elon Musk, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, Amazon’s Andy Jassy, and BlackRock’s Larry Fink.
“The era of peace will return, and the commander-in-chief of the U.S. armed forces will be in Washington to help safeguard the Gulf’s security,” Eric Trump, the president’s son and Trump Organization vice-president, told Saudi newspaper Asharq al-Awsat regarding his father’s regional tour.
The visit, which will also include stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, focuses heavily on securing massive investment commitments for the United States. Trump has repeatedly stated his goal of obtaining $1 trillion in Saudi investment alone, building on the crown prince’s previous pledge of $600 billion over four years.
Expected agreements include more than $100 billion in U.S. arms purchases, covering missiles, radar systems, and transport aircraft. Discussions are also expected to cover artificial intelligence partnerships, with Saudi Arabia emerging as one of the world’s largest AI investors as part of its Vision 2030 economic diversification programme.
According to media reports, Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan highlighted the kingdom’s economic progress at a concurrent U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum, noting increased private investment from 16 per cent to 32 per cent of GDP and women’s employment rising from 17 per cent to 36 per cent.
Regional security issues dominated the political agenda, with Gaza topping the discussions. Crown Prince Mohammed has previously stated that Gaza remains a priority for the Arab world, and many have suggested that Gulf leaders will push Trump to explore alternative ways to end the 19-month war.
“He cannot continue talking about being the dealmaker, the peacemaker in the world with the blood in Gaza continuing to spill,” said Sultan Barakat, a senior professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, regarding Trump’s role in regional peace efforts.
The trip comes as Trump navigates multiple diplomatic challenges, from stalled ceasefire talks in Gaza to ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran through intermediaries in Oman. The administration is also considering sanctions relief for Syria’s new government under Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The visit concludes Thursday after his stop in the UAE, with Trump expected to return to Washington having secured what the White House describes as “historic” economic partnerships with the three Gulf nations.
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