US President Donald Trump has landed in Saudi Arabia, marking the start of his first diplomatic visit of his second term – a high-profile, four-day tour that also includes stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The president is being received with a lavish state dinner in Riyadh later on Tuesday following his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. As with his first term, Trump has again chosen Saudi Arabia as the destination for his maiden foreign trip, breaking the traditional presidential custom of beginning with a visit to the UK, Canada or Mexico.
During his 2017 visit, Trump gathered Arab and Muslim leaders in Riyadh for a summit focused on fighting terrorism and countering Iran. This time, while regional powers have shifted tact towards rapprochement with Tehran, Trump’s immediate goals are economic.
Trump, accompanied by senior US business and technology executives, is pushing to finalise more than $1 trillion in investment deals aimed at creating jobs and infrastructure opportunities in America.
Although tensions in Gaza and broader Middle East diplomacy are expected to feature in private discussions, Trump’s public focus is firmly on deal-making at the highest level.
Trump is also expected to raise the topic of a ceasefire in Gaza, although sources say the president wants to avoid entanglement in another drawn-out conflict in the region.
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