TRUMP’S TRAVELS
President’s foreign trip starts in Saudi Arabia
PresRIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — ident Donald Trump debuted on the world stage here Saturday, ushering in a new era in U.S.-Saudi Arabian relations by signing a joint “strategic vision” that includes a $110 billion in American arms sales and other new investments that the administra- tion said would bring hundreds of thousands of jobs.
“It was a great day,” Trump said. He cited “tremendous investments in the United States ... and jobs, jobs, jobs.”
While initial details were scant, the agreements signed included a U.S. letter of intent to “support Saudi Arabia’s defense needs” with sales of a number of items — naval ships, tanks and other vehicles — that were the subject of agreements under earlier administrations, as well as some new items that had never passed the discussion stage, such as sophisticated THAAD missile defense systems.
Other items are intended to modernize Saudi Arabia’s cyber defense and modernize its airborne intelligence-gathering, and secure its borders.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in a news conference with his Saudi counterpart, described common views on counterterrorism, the threat from Iran and regional security. He outlined “likeminded” goals in the security and economic spheres
and said, “we’re very proud of this relationship that we are embarking on with the kingdom.”
It was a marked contrast to years of growing U.S. estrangement from the Sau- dis under President Barack Obama.
“This is the beginning of a turning point in the relationship between the United States and the Arab and Islamic world,” Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir proclaimed alongside Tillerson.
Trump’s visit, he said, “begins to change the conversation” with the Islamic world “from one of enmity to one of partnership.”
In addition to the security agreements, Jubeir said, U.S. business leaders here at an economic forum designed to coincide with Trump’s visit signed deals potentially worth more than $200 bil- lion over the next 10 years.
Trump was received like visiting royalty from the moment Air Force One touched down in Riyadh Saturday morning, after an all-night flight from Wash- ington, where he hoped to leave behind the growing Russia scandal threatening his presidency.
In a series of official arrival ceremonies — at the airport and the Royal Court palace — Trump, his wife, Melania, and an entourage including virtually his entire senior White House staff and some of his Cabinet, were sere- naded by military bands, treated to a flyover of Saudi jets, feted in opulent pal-
aces and given the undivided attention of King Salman, the ruler of this ultra-conservative Muslim nation.
As Trump arrived at Murabba Palace for a royal dinner, hundreds of Saudi men in long, white robes danced the Ardha, a traditional sword dance that is performed on Saudi National Day and in honor of special guests. Trump, grinning broadly at the festivities, waded in and took a few obligatory dips.
The ebullient welcome reflected a kingdom eager to rekindle its relationship with the United States, and to use the visit to declare and solidify its own leadership role in the Muslim world.
Jubeir, in the news conference with Tillerson, heaped praise on Trump, saying the foreign policy novice had the “vision,” “strength” and “decisiveness,” in the estima- tion of the Saudi leadership, to bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians. The minister went on to borrow one of Trump’s favorite campaign slogans, saying that a new relationship between America and the Arab world could “drain the swamps from which extremism and terrorism emanates.”
In t heir private talks, Trump and Salman discussed their shared view of the threat from Iran. Asked about Saturday’s re-election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Tillerson said he hoped Rouhani would use his term to “begin dismantling Iran’s network of terror,” stop destabilizing the Middle East, end ballistic missile testing and restore basic rights.
However, there was public silence from the U.S. delega
tion on the issue of human rights in Saudi Arabia, which has imprisoned peaceful critics of the government and has sharply restricted the rights of women. Ahead of the visit, Trump’s advisers said the president did not intend to “lecture” his hosts.
Obama, who sold about $115 billion in U.S. weapons to Saudi Arabia during his eight years as president, had slowed military cooperation with the kingdom in large part because of what it con
sidered Saudi Arabia’s indiscriminate bombing of civil
ians in Yemen. The Trump deal puts those agreements back on track and expanded them.