US President Donald Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia today, marking the start of his three-day tour to strengthen ties with key Middle Eastern allies. He received a grand reception from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh. This is Trump’s first state visit of his second term and will also include stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Saudi Arabia’s decision to host Trump’s first state visit of his renewed presidency underscores the strategic importance both countries place on revitalising their partnership. The visit is drawing prominent business leaders to the kingdom, with a Saudi-US investment forum scheduled for May 13 in Riyadh. CEOs from major corporations, including BlackRock, Palantir, Citigroup, IBM, Qualcomm, Alphabet, and Franklin Templeton, are expected to attend.
Trump plans to highlight potential Saudi investments in the United States during high-level meetings. Securing new financial commitments from Gulf states, particularly from sovereign wealth funds, would allow Trump to show domestic audiences that his ‘America First’ agenda is delivering tangible results. US-Gulf relations have improved significantly since Trump returned to office, with Saudi and Emirati officials viewing his presidency as what one Gulf representative called a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to achieve regional objectives. The warm reception in Riyadh comes after a period during which Saudi Arabia and the UAE had sought to diversify their military, technological, and economic partnerships beyond the United States. With Trump back in the White House, both nations appear eager to reset ties and expand cooperation across multiple sectors.
