Riyadh (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump landed in Saudi Arabia for a four-day trip to the Middle East, prioritising economic agreements over urgent regional security issues, including the ongoing war in Gaza and discussions concerning Iran’s nuclear program.
In Riyadh, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greeted Trump with enthusiasm. Later today, he is slated to address a US-Saudi investment forum, which includes Elon Musk among the speakers. Additionally, Trump will visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week.
How is Saudi Arabia rolling out the red carpet?
Trump and the crown prince exchanged warm greetings as they walked together on the tarmac. They also took a moment to converse with senior Saudi officials before entering the airport. Inside, they settled into luxurious purple chairs adorned with gold trim, positioned beneath portraits of members of the Saudi royal family.
They were accompanied by leading U.S. officials — Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright — alongside Saudi officials, all of whom occupied purple chairs.
Who’s attending lunch with Trump and bin Salman?
Today in Riyadh, prominent US business leaders are set to join President Donald Trump, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and other senior officials for lunch at the Saudi Royal Court, CNN reported.
The leaders of Amazon, NVIDIA, OpenAI, Palantir, Uber, Coca-Cola, Google, and Boeing are among those anticipated to attend, based on a list shared by the White House. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and a senior adviser to the president who oversees the US Department of Government Efficiency, is also expected to be present in his role as CEO.
Dina Powell, who served as a Trump administration official in his first term and is currently the vice chairman of BDT & MSD bank, is on the list. She is also the wife of Sen. David McCormick from Pennsylvania, along with Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.
Will the UAE’s $1.4 trillion pledge reshape U.S. ties?
Moreover, the US has revealed a weapons sale exceeding $1.4 billion to the United Arab Emirates, occurring just days prior to President Donald Trump’s scheduled visit. According to the State Department, the sale was approved and communicated to Congress, comprising $1.3 billion allocated for Chinook helicopters and $130 million for parts and support related to F-16 fighter jets.
Trump’s last destination on his Middle East trip will be the UAE, which aims to invest $1.4 trillion in the US over a decade. This visit is anticipated to lead to the announcement of multiple financial agreements between the two nations, encompassing investments in AI, semiconductors, manufacturing, and energy.
Is a Zelenskiy-Putin meeting on the horizon in Turkey?
On the other hand, according to Reuters, Trump indicated he might travel to Turkey on Thursday for possible direct talks between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskiy regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. An aide to Zelenskiy mentioned that the Ukrainian president would participate only if Putin was present. However, the Russian leader has not confirmed his attendance and has expressed doubts about Zelenskiy’s legitimacy.
