President Donald Trump was greeted by scores of children waving U.S. flags and doing the traditional “Al-Ayyala” hair-twirling dance when he landed in Abu Dhabi on Thursday as he continued his state visit to the Middle East.
As reporters looked on nearby, Trump expressed astonishment at the dancing and declared, “I love it!”
Trump was in the United Arab Emirates after visiting Saudi Arabia and Qatar, where he touted “tremendous” trillion-dollar deals with Middle Eastern allies.
The event was hosted by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Trump was accompanied by several Cabinet members and senior aides for meetings with the emir, who engaged in an extended conversation with immigration adviser Stephen Miller.
Others in Trump’s delegation included Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “It’s an amazing culture,” Trump told reporters.
“The Gulf has always gotten along better with business-first presidents, and President Trump fits that mold perfectly,” one Saudi-based American told CNBC.
The 45th and 47th President of the United States received an elaborate and enthusiastic welcome during his four-day visit to the region.
In Riyadh, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman broke with royal protocol by personally greeting President Trump on the tarmac. Upon arrival in Doha, Trump’s motorcade was escorted by bright red Tesla Cybertrucks and riders on horseback. In Abu Dhabi, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed presented him with the Order of Zayed, the country’s highest civilian honor, CNBC added.
Adding to the pageantry, a procession of royal camels greeted Trump outside the Amiri Diwan, Qatar’s presidential palace. During his meeting with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Trump made no secret of his admiration for the warm reception.
Trump headed back to the U.S. after the UAE visit, telling reporters he planned to see his new grandchild when he returned. Daughter Tiffany Trump gave birth to her first child, a boy, this week.
“I have a nice grandchild waiting, which I’ll see soon, but this was a fantastic moment for our country. I really believe that,” Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One. “Everyone’s talking about it, and the respect shown to our country was incredible.”
Financial investments and business agreements took center stage during President Trump’s visit, The Hill reported.
The White House highlighted a $600 billion deal with Saudi Arabia. The administration also pointed to an economic agreement with Qatar, projected to exceed $243 billion in value.
The agreement with Qatar included a deal for Qatar Airways to purchase 160 aircraft from Boeing, The Hill added.
Trump also finalized a separate deal with the United Arab Emirates valued at over $200 billion. As part of the agreement, both countries pledged to deepen their cooperation on artificial intelligence. On Friday, a UAE official announced plans to construct an aluminum plant in the United States.
“I will say I did that, and everyone will say, ‘Meh.’ But somebody‘s going to be cutting a ribbon and say — well, we‘re going to be finished long before that,” Trump told reporters. “But somebody’s going to be taking the credit for this. You remember, press, this guy did it.”
White House officials aimed to use the Middle East trip to highlight business deals and financial commitments as a way to showcase the president’s efforts to strengthen the U.S. economy—especially amid concerns and uncertainty stemming from his tariff policies.
“Some of the deals, like Qatar’s record order of 210 Boeing jets and Saudi Arabia’s $142 billion arms deal with the U.S. — the largest weapons deal ever inked — will likely take decades to pan out,” CNBC added, while also noting that the sheer amounts of money pledged are equally historic.