Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia amid much pomp

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Trump arrived Tuesday for the archetypal limb of his Middle East circuit successful the Saudi superior of Riyadh, wherever helium was welcomed with a pomp-and-circumstance-filled ceremonial and a high-powered luncheon with apical concern leaders and authorities figures earlier giving a code astatine an concern forum.

After Air Force One landed successful Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport — escorted by Saudi Arabian F-15s — Trump emerged, pumped his fist successful the aerial past stepped disconnected the level connected to a lavender carpet, wherever Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greeted him with a jovial, two-handed handshake — a opposition to the seemingly reluctant fist bump Salman erstwhile gave to his predecessor, President Biden.

Trump and the prince past walked to an ornate hallway wherever they engaged successful a accepted java invited ceremony, the archetypal signifier of a two-day sojourn suffused akin displays of pageantry.

Once done, Trump drove successful the limousine known arsenic “The Beast” flanked by a phalanx of horsemen carrying Saudi and American flags, past stood earlier an grant defender and a subject set that played done “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the Saudi nationalist anthem.

Joining Trump was a raft of officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff; on with dozens of concern leaders.

Later, astatine a lavish luncheon successful Al-Yamamah Palace, Trump and the crown prince began an hourlong glad-handing league featuring Saudi royals, officials and subject commanders.

Also connected manus were elite concern figures from U.S. banks and concern funds, on with prima CEOs from Tesla, Nvidia, Uber and Palantir Technologies.