President Donald Trump arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, starting his first international trip of his second term.
Greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the tarmac, Trump stepped off Air Force One onto a royal purple carpet as Saudi F-15 fighter jets escorted his arrival into King Khalid International Airport.
The visit marks a return to a familiar region for Trump, who also began his first term with a visit to Riyadh. This four-day Gulf tour will take him to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, with discussions expected to cover major defense and energy deals, artificial intelligence cooperation, and growing regional tensions in the Middle East.
Trump is traveling with top members of his administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. Senior advisors Susie Wiles and Stephen Miller also joined the trip.
Shortly after arriving, the president met with the crown prince for a coffee ceremony before heading to the Royal Court, where he was welcomed with an official reception. Trump is expected to spend much of the day in bilateral meetings and business forums. A summit with leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council is scheduled during the second day of his visit in Riyadh.
According to the White House, the trip is aimed at deepening economic and strategic ties with America’s Gulf allies. Trump will attend the Saudi–U.S. Investment Forum, where business leaders are expected to announce joint ventures focused on U.S. industries including technology, semiconductors, defense, and energy. Saudi Arabia has pledged to invest $600 billion in the U.S. over the next four years. The UAE committed to $1.4 trillion in long-term investment over the next decade.
On the defense front, Trump is expected to finalize a proposed $100 billion arms package for Saudi Arabia, along with additional weapons deals involving Qatar. These agreements are part of a broader initiative to counter threats from Iran and secure the region against instability. Qatar, in a notable diplomatic gesture, will donate a luxury aircraft to serve as the new Air Force One. Trump told reporters the gift would be sent to his presidential library once he leaves office.
The president’s itinerary includes travel to Doha on May 14 and Abu Dhabi on May 15, although his schedule remains flexible.
Trump said he might add a stop in Turkey to attend a possible peace summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking to reporters, Trump said he would consider attending “if I thought it would be helpful.”
While some outlets speculated that Trump might meet with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, White House officials denied any such plans. However, Trump suggested that lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria remains under consideration. “We may take them off of Syria because we want to give them a fresh start,” he said before leaving Washington.
The trip follows a series of headline-making developments back home. On May 12, markets rallied after the U.S. and China agreed to a temporary reduction in tariffs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped by more than 1,100 points on the news.
That same day, Trump announced the release of Edan Alexander, the last known living American hostage in Gaza, who had been held by Hamas for nearly 600 days.
Trump said he remains hopeful that more hostages held by Hamas could be freed during his Middle East visit, with reports estimating that up to 20 may still be alive.
As the Gulf tour unfolds, the White House is positioning it as a diplomatic and economic mission to draw historic levels of Gulf investment into American industries and to promote regional peace and stability amid shifting alliances and escalating global threats.