Saudi Crown Prince Personally Welcomes Trump at Airport Amid High-Stakes Gulf Visit
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave former U.S. President Donald Trump an elaborate welcome at King Khalid International Airport, underscoring the kingdom's warm ties with the American leader during his high-profile visit to the Middle East.
As Air Force One approached Saudi airspace, two Saudi F-15 fighter jets intercepted the aircraft and escorted it to the runway. Upon landing, Trump stepped out onto a lavender-colored carpet—a ceremonial detail Saudi Arabia introduced in 2021 to reflect the country’s natural heritage.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (commonly referred to as MBS) personally greeted Trump alongside hundreds of officials, military officers, and business leaders.
MBS, 39, is the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia and has served as prime minister since 2022. Though King Salman remains the official monarch, his advanced age and limited public appearances have placed MBS at the forefront of the kingdom’s domestic and international affairs.
Trump’s arrival in Riyadh marked a sharp contrast to President Joe Biden’s 2022 visit, when MBS declined to meet him at the airport, instead sending a provincial governor following Biden’s criticism of Saudi Arabia over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
After the airport reception, Trump’s motorcade was escorted by royal cavalry to the Saudi Royal Palace, where trumpets sounded as he exited his vehicle. A formal welcome ceremony was followed by a coffee reception attended by a large delegation of global business leaders, including Elon Musk and top executives from Blackstone, BlackRock, IBM, Boeing, Amazon, OpenAI, LinkedIn, Nvidia, and AMD.
Later in the day, Trump was scheduled to speak at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum held at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center and attend a royal banquet in Diriyah At-Turaif, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This marks Trump’s first official overseas trip since beginning his second term, with planned stops in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar following his four-day stay in Saudi Arabia. The visit highlights the growing strategic importance of Gulf nations in Washington’s evolving foreign policy agenda.
(Sources: AFP, The Hill, BBC)
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