Saudi Crown Prince Welcomes Trump to Kingdom
The two met in Riyadh to discuss curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, resolving the Gaza war, and stabilizing oil prices to ease global inflation.
Trump was greeted warmly as he arrived, joining the crown prince for a traditional coffee ceremony. He will attend a US-Saudi investment forum before meeting Gulf Cooperation Council leaders on Wednesday. His tour includes Qatar and the UAE, where the Trump Organization has real estate ventures.
Trump aims to announce deals on energy, AI, and defense, though critics argue his personal business ties and diplomatic approach isolate key allies. Tensions with Israel are rising as Trump’s administration excluded them from talks on Yemen, Hamas, and Iran.
Saudi Arabia has signaled it will not pursue normalization with Israel without US security guarantees and progress on Palestinian statehood. Meanwhile, Trump may provoke controversy by considering renaming the Persian Gulf as the “Arabian Gulf,” a move Iran says would trigger backlash.