President Donald Trump walks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during an arrival ceremony at the Royal Terminal of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday. Alex Brandon/AP
By CNN | Horn Diplomat
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – U.S. President Donald Trump received a royal welcome Tuesday as he arrived in the Saudi capital, descending from Air Force One onto purple-carpeted steps where he was greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The two leaders shared a warm exchange and walked the tarmac together, speaking briefly with senior Saudi officials. Inside the airport, they sat in ornate purple chairs trimmed with gold, beneath portraits of the Saudi royal family.
Joining them were top U.S. officials — Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright — alongside their Saudi counterparts.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a key ally of Trump, has worked closely with the U.S. on efforts to mediate the war in Ukraine and was one of the first leaders to congratulate Trump after his January swearing-in. The choice of Riyadh as the first stop on Trump’s second-term international tour highlights the administration’s intent to strengthen ties with the kingdom despite lingering global scrutiny over the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
For Saudi Arabia, the visit is an opportunity to reposition itself as a central player in a rapidly evolving Middle East.
“It’s a key moment to showcase what Saudi has to offer,” said Dina Esfandiary, Middle East lead at Bloomberg Economics, speaking to CNN. “The leadership wants to present itself as stable, investment-ready, and pursuing a policy of good relations with neighbors.”
She added that Riyadh also sees this visit as a chance to outline its expectations for U.S. engagement in regional affairs.
With Saudi Arabia now engaging diplomatically with Iran and seeking to avoid military entanglements between Tehran, Washington, and Tel Aviv, Esfandiary noted that the kingdom is “supportive of any kind of de-escalation talks.”
Trump’s trip will also include visits to Doha, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates — echoing his first presidential tour in 2017.
