US President Trump lands in Riyadh

US President Donald Trump arrived in the Saudi capital of Riyadh this morning, as part of a two-day visit to the Kingdom meant to bolster bilateral relations.

Saudi Arabia is Trump’s first stop in an eight-day tour that will also see him visit Israel and the Vatican, after which he will attend the 28th NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium, and the 43rd G7 summit in Taormina, Italy. The tour is Trump’s first overseas trip since taking office.

Trump landed in Riyadh at 9.45 am local time, and was greeted by King Salman and other high-ranking officials, agencies reported.

The US president is expected to spend much of Saturday in meetings with the Saudi King and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

On Sunday, he will address heads of state from over 18 Muslim nations, as well as the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The speech will revolve around efforts to combat global terrorism.

In addition, Trump is expected to announce several new agreements with the Kingdom, including a $100 million arms deal, which will provide tanks, ships, and missile defense systems to Saudi Arabia.

The Riyadh visit is seen as a way of strengthening US ties with GCC nations that were strained under the Obama administration, primarily due to differences over how to deal with Iran’s role in the region.

Trump has previously come under fire for being anti-Muslim, after enacting a temporary immigration ban on citizens of several Muslim majority countries earlier this year.

Shortly after becoming president, Trump signed an executive order barring the citizens of seven countries – Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen – from entering the US for 90 days. The US also suspended its intake of Syrian refugees indefinitely.

Write to Jerusha Sequeira at jerusha.s@argaamnews.com