Photo: Alamy
President Donald Trump landed in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, where he began with a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, including discussions to end Iran’s nuclear program and oil prices.
The prince greeted President Trump as he exited Air Force One to begin his Middle East tour.
Before landing, Air Force One received a fighter jet escort through the kingdom’s airspace.
“Thank you for the escort, and having President Trump’s back—We all appreciate it. See you on the ground shortly, THANK YOU!!!” Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Dan Scavino, posted on X.
The two leaders later joined dignitaries for lunch at the Royal Court, where they dined in an opulent hall adorned with massive chandeliers and rich blue décor.
Prominent business leaders were invited, including Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone, Larry Fink of BlackRock and Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX. Later in the day, a formal dinner in Trump’s honor was scheduled, along with his participation in a U.S.-Saudi investment conference.
“When Saudis and Americans join forces, very good things happen — more often than not, great things happen,” said Saudi Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih.
The kingdom and other OPEC+ members have bolstered Trump’s agenda by increasing oil output, aligning with his strategy to reduce inflation and energy costs. Trump argues that lower oil prices could also weaken Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine. Still, Saudi Arabia relies heavily on oil revenues and needs prices near $96–$98 per barrel to maintain fiscal balance. As of Monday, Brent crude traded at $64.77 per barrel.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, each hosting Trump during this trip, also have ongoing Trump Organization real estate projects. These include developments such as a Jeddah skyscraper, a Dubai luxury hotel, and a villa and golf resort in Qatar, managed by Trump’s sons.
Trump is aiming to revive his Abraham Accords strategy to normalize relations between Israel and Arab nations. However, Saudi Arabia has demanded firm U.S. security guarantees, nuclear cooperation and progress toward a Palestinian state in return.
