US President Donald Trump has arrived in Saudi Arabia on a three-day tour that will also see him visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, has greeted Trump upon arrival in Riyadh.
The White House says Trump is making a “historic return to the Middle East”, the first official state visit of his second presidency, where he will concentrate on “strengthening ties“.
Trump is expected to focus on securing major financial investments for the United States and making diplomatic inroads on regional issues, including a Gaza ceasefire and Saudi Arabia-Israel normalisation talks.
In Saudi Arabia, his first stop, Trump is hoping to secure a $1 trillion investment in US industry from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, upping the crown prince’s earlier investment pledge of $600 billion.
Trump has embarked on the first major international trip of his second term, aiming to strengthen ties with key Gulf allies and reinforce his image as a formidable deal-maker on the global stage.
The US president is expected to address a high-profile US-Saudi investment forum, where tech magnate Elon Musk is also scheduled to speak.
With economic engagement at the forefront, the president is looking to secure fresh investments in American industries and deepen cooperation in emerging technologies.
In the lead-up to the trip, the US government announced a weapons sale worth more than $1.4 billion to the UAE. A series of further deals is expected during the visit, spanning sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, manufacturing and energy. A significant arms agreement with Saudi Arabia may also be revealed in the coming days.
This is not Trump’s first symbolic tilt towards Riyadh. During his first term, he broke with US presidential tradition by choosing Saudi Arabia—not the UK, Canada or Mexico—for his maiden overseas visit, underscoring the strategic importance he places on Gulf relations.
Analysts suggest the president’s current itinerary reflects a continued pivot towards economic diplomacy, with trade and investment taking precedence over traditional diplomatic or security concerns.
