President Donald Trump landed in Saudi Arabia today, embarking on his first big overseas tour of the second administration. He is also slated to visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week.
The president’s visit began with a grandiose welcoming ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court, which included Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Trump will be attending a business event and dinner later on Tuesday.
One fascinating moment that went viral on social media came when Trump did not appear to drink the offered cup of coffee, leaving it on the table while continuing his conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Some on social media claimed it was out of caution for Trump’s health, while others noted that the president does not drink alcohol or coffee.
Another video angle does show that Trump took a sip of the drink despite some on social media claiming that it was “disrespectful” for Trump not to drink the coffee.
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President Trump landed in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning, following a spectacular fighter jet escort across the kingdom’s airspace.
Journalists on the presidential plane stated that six Saudi F-15s glided “in close proximity” — three on each side — during the last half-hour of the journey. Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Dan Scavino, tweeted a video of the unusual escort while still in the air.
“Thank you for the escort, and having President Trump’s back—We all appreciate it. See you on the ground shortly, THANK YOU!!!” he wrote on X.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Trump on the runway as he threw a fist pump. Bin Salman led him down a purple carpet to a conference room where the country’s de facto ruler held a coffee ceremony.
Trump was joined by Cabinet members, such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
The sidewalks of the hot Saudi capital were adorned with American flags for the visit, while mobile billboards along the route this week advertised the recently announced Disney Abu Dhabi theme park in the adjacent United Arab Emirates.
Trump’s crowded schedule on Tuesday will include a speech to an investment roundtable with tech industry leaders like as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sam Altman, followed by a state supper.
His three-nation visit to the Middle East, which includes Qatar and the UAE, is anticipated to focus on attracting investment for the United States.
Trump’s 17th week in office will be spent preparing for his journey to the Middle East, his first big overseas trip of the second term.
“President Trump will return to [the Middle East to] re-emphasize his continued vision for a proud, prosperous and successful Middle East where the United States and Middle Eastern nations are in cooperative relationships and where extremism is defeated in place of commerce and cultural exchanges,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday.
“This trip ultimately highlights how we stand on the brink of the golden age for both America and the Middle East, united by a shared vision of stability, opportunity and mutual respect, the president greatly looks forward to visiting with our brave men and women in uniform at our U.S. air base in Qatar throughout this trip.”
Trump left Washington, D.C., on Monday for trips to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. The president revealed last week, during a visit to the White House by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, that he would make “a very, very big announcement” before departing for the Middle East, but has not provided any other specifics.