RIYADH, Saudi Arabia—President Donald Trump arrived in Riyadh at 9:49 a.m. local time Tuesday, kicking off the first major overseas trip of his second term.
The White House has described the visit as the president’s “historic return to the Middle East,” with stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from May 13 to May 16.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomed Trump upon his arrival at the airport.
As in his first term, Trump has chosen Saudi Arabia for his first state visit, signaling the strategic importance he places on ties with Gulf nations. His visit comes amid regional tensions and significant global developments, including the conflict between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group, recent tensions between India and Pakistan, and potential Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul that could alter his itinerary.
Trump is expected to announce a series of major investment deals aimed at drawing Gulf capital into critical U.S. sectors such as defense, technology, and artificial intelligence (AI). He will also hold meetings focused on pressing regional issues, including the ongoing Gaza conflict, the future of displaced Palestinians, and Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Traveling with the president are several top officials and advisors, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, as well as senior aides Susie Wiles and Stephen Miller.
Major Investment and Defense Deals
On his first day in Riyadh, Trump will hold a bilateral meeting with bin Salman before attending the Saudi–U.S. Investment Forum. The forum will bring together top U.S. and Saudi business leaders to explore new investment opportunities.On his second day in Riyadh, Trump is expected to attend a summit with leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Trump announced on Monday that Qatar will donate a luxury plane to be used as the new Air Force One. When asked about the gift, Trump told reporters it was a “great gesture.”
“I appreciate it very much. I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer,” he said. He added that the plane will “go directly” to his presidential library after he leaves office.
Regional Diplomacy and a Possible Turkey Stop
Trump is expected to travel to Doha on May 14 following his meetings in Riyadh, then to Abu Dhabi on May 15.However, his schedule remains flexible. Trump suggested he may fly to Turkey to attend a potential meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday. “There’s a possibility of it, I guess,” Trump told reporters on Monday, adding that he would go “if I thought it would be helpful.”
While media speculation has hinted at a possible meeting between Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia, an administration official told The Epoch Times that no such meeting is planned. Still, Trump indicated he may consider lifting sanctions on Syria that were imposed during the Assad regime.
“We’re going to have to make a decision on the sanctions, which we may very well relieve,” Trump told reporters before heading to the Middle East. “We may take them off of Syria because we want to give them a fresh start.”
Trump also expressed hope that more hostages held by Hamas would be released during his trip.
“We hope that we’re going to have other hostages released, too,” Trump said, estimating that about 20 living hostages may still be held by Hamas.
