Donald Trump received a lavish royal welcome in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, marking his return to the international stage after his comeback election victory. The former US president, known for his unconventional diplomatic style, was greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with an elaborate display, including golden swords, Arabian horses, and a traditional coffee ceremony at the royal terminal in Riyadh.
Trump’s visit comes as Saudi Arabia seeks to rehabilitate its global image following the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and reduce its economic dependence on fossil fuels. The crown prince, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, has faced international criticism over human rights concerns but remains a close ally of Trump, who has consistently praised him despite mounting scrutiny.
“I really believe we like each other a lot,” Trump said as they sat on gilded chairs beneath ornate chandeliers in the royal palace. The crown prince, in turn, addressed his guest as “my dear President Trump,” and the Saudis played his campaign anthems, including “God Bless the U.S.A.” and “YMCA,” at an investment forum in his honour.
For Trump, the visit was a significant moment, marking a symbolic return to the global spotlight. Exactly one year ago, he was on trial in a hush money case in New York, listening to his former lawyer testify against him. While he recently attended the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome, Riyadh was meant to be his first overseas destination, mirroring his first presidential term, when he chose Saudi Arabia as the starting point for his foreign diplomacy.
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The American delegation included several high-profile business leaders, including Ruth Porat of Google, Stephen Schwarzman of the Blackstone Group, Jane Fraser of Citicorp, Alex Karp of Palantir, Jensen Huang of NVIDIA, and Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and one of Trump’s top advisers.
As Air Force One approached Riyadh, it was escorted by six American-made F-15 fighter jets, a rare gesture of respect. Upon landing, Trump was greeted by Prince Mohammed on the tarmac before being escorted to the royal terminal, flanked by riders on white Arabian horses carrying American and Saudi flags. An honour guard with golden swords lined the route, underscoring the grandeur of the occasion.
In a speech during the visit, Trump lauded Saudi Arabia for its rapid economic transformation, declaring, “You achieved a modern miracle the Arabian way.” Prince Mohammed, sitting in the audience, responded by placing his right hand over his heart and smiling, a symbolic gesture of mutual respect.
This warmth stands in stark contrast to the reception given to President Joe Biden three years ago. Biden, who had previously labelled Saudi Arabia a “pariah” state, received a far more restrained welcome during his 2022 visit, marked only by a cursory fist bump at the palace. The strained ties were further tested when OPEC+ announced an oil production cut later that year, a move seen as a setback for Biden amid soaring inflation in the United States.
Trump, however, faced no such friction during his visit, reaffirming the “bedrock” nature of US-Saudi relations and urging foreign leaders not to “give you lectures on how to live and how to govern your own affairs.”
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