President Donald Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning for his first major overseas trip of his second term as president. His tour will also include visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) later this week.
Trump’s arrival was marked by a grand welcome at the Saudi Royal Court, where he was greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two walked down a purple carpet before attending a traditional coffee ceremony. A moment from this ceremony went viral on social media after Trump appeared to leave his coffee untouched. Some online users speculated it was due to his health or personal choice, as Trump is known to avoid alcohol and coffee. However, another video showed Trump taking a sip of the coffee, countering claims that he was being disrespectful.
Earlier, six Saudi F-15 fighter jets escorted Air Force One across Saudi airspace, flying close on both sides of the plane. Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Dan Scavino, shared a video of the escort on social media, thanking the Saudi Air Force.
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The streets of Riyadh, the Saudi capital, were decorated with American flags for the visit. Mobile billboards along the route also advertised the new Disney Abu Dhabi theme park in the UAE.
Trump is scheduled to attend a business event and a state dinner later on Tuesday. His schedule also includes a speech at an investment roundtable with major tech leaders like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sam Altman. He is expected to focus on attracting investment into the United States during his three-nation trip.
Trump was accompanied by key members of his Cabinet, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president’s visit aims to promote a vision of a strong and prosperous Middle East, with partnerships between the U.S. and the region focused on peace, trade, and cultural exchange. She added that Trump also plans to visit U.S. troops stationed at an air base in Qatar.
Before leaving Washington, Trump mentioned he would make a “very, very big announcement,” but no details have been released so far.
This trip is part of Trump’s broader goal to strengthen U.S. ties with the Middle East and encourage investment and cooperation in the region.
