President Trump is in Saudi Arabia in his first leg of a 9-day, five-stop foreign trip as President of the United States. He and First Lady Melania Trump received a Red Carpet royal treatment with all the pomp and circumstance.
America’s First Couple were welcomed and greeted on the tarmac by the ailing King of Saudi Arabia, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, a total contrast to the reception of Barack Obama who was met only by low level government officials.
President Donald Trump, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump are greeted and personally welcomed by Saudi King Salman (L) upon his arrival at a welcome ceremony at the Royal Terminal of King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, May 20, 2017, in Riyadh. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci
The President and the First Lady were accompanied personally by the King to the airport terminal where they were hosted and treated to tea and coffee. President Trump and his delegation are in the Saudi Kingdom for 2 days where he will address over 50 Arab leaders in a joint Arab Islamic-American Summit on Sunday.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud hosts President Donald Trump during a reception ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Joining the First Couple and the King at the official Welcoming Ceremony was Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner, the president’s delegation which included Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, White House Chief of Staff Reince Preibus, White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, Secretary of Labour Wilber Rose and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer among others. Also present were U.S. Embassy staff and dignitaries.
Unlike President who received a royal treatment with all the pomp and circumstance and welcomed by King Salman, Obama was met by the governor of Riyadh and U.S. Ambassador to The Kingdom Joseph W. Westphal. Credit: Caryoln Kaster/Associated Press
With the eyes of the whole world on Saudi Arabia, the Official Welcome Ceremony which was broadcast live showed the comfort and ease with which the King Salman and President Trump were with each other. It was showed an effort on both sides to reset an important relationship that had suffered under the previous Obama administration.
After the lunch meeting and banquet at the grand Royal Court at Al Yamamh Palace, King Salman presented the President Trump with the Kingdom’s highest civilian honour medal, the Order of Salman Abdulaziz.
Strategic agreements between the two countries worth over $200 billion were signed in a televised ceremony to further enhance bilateral agreements between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. The historic bilateral strategic agreements are the biggest in the history of the Saudi Kingdom and U.S. relationship.
The biggest arms deal worth $110 billion was signed as part of the defense cooperation deal with the Saudis effective immediately. The defense package includes combat ships, missile defense systems, tanks, radar technology and cybersecurity technology.
President Trump (L) and Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud attending a signing ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh of a historic bilateral trade deal worth more than $380 billion between the two countries on Saturday 20 May 2017. Credit: / AFP PHOTO / Saudi Royal Palace / BANDAR AL-JALOUD /AFP/Getty Images
Touting the historic agreements are creating job opportunities within the public and private sectors, President Trump said the deals are “tremendous investments” for the United States that would create “jobs, jobs, jobs.” The two leaders also signed a joint vision agreement at the Royal Court at Am Yamamh Palace and sealed with a handshake.
President Trump was accompanied by his daughter Ivanka Trump and her his son-in-law Jared Kushner seen here arriving at the Saudi Royal Court at Yamamh Palace. Credit: Reuters
While others are already criticizing this trip as not focusing on the issue of human rights, free-speech and women’s rights, observers are highlighting that this trip was more about resetting and solidifying the relations between the two allies. It is also seen as a trip about national security and peace, a bold joint statement about fighting radical Islamic terrorism.
Arab nations respect strong leadership and unlike Obama who was perceived as weak and not respected, President Trump is both respected and perceived a very strong and decisive leader. Saudi Arabia and other Sunni Arab nations felt disrespected by Obama whom they saw as interested in advancing Iranian interests thereby undermining the strong alliance between the two countries.
President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, Saturday, May 20, 2017, in Riyadh. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci
President Trump is the First US President in history to make Saudi Arabia his first foreign visit and the Middle East. Choosing to first visit Saudi Arabia, Israel and then Rome is brilliant strategic move and foreign policy decision to promote peace and unity among the world’s biggest and most important three religions – Islam, Judaism and Christianity.
President Trump is on a five-stop foreign trips of the Middle East and Europe before heading back to Washington.
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