Politics
NEW: Trump Secures Massive Deal For American Workers In Saudi Arabia
A royal welcome was rolled out for President Donald Trump as he arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning to thank the Middle East nation’s political leaders for their historic $600 billion investment into U.S. jobs and 21st-century manufacturing.
Flanked by crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and a phalanx of Saudi emissaries, Trump strolled confidently to the front of an auditorium packed with spectators eager to see the U.S. president on their soil.
Tuesday’s spacious spectacle was the culmination of a February call between both leaders where Saudi Arabia committed to plowing $600 billion into expanded investment and trade with the United States over the next four years, Saudi news agencies reported at the time.
WATCH:
In a phone call between the two leaders, bin Salman said the Trump Administration’s policies could create “unprecedented economic prosperity” for both nations, the state news agency reported. According to the report, Saudi Arabia is much more optimistic about strong U.S. ties under the Trump presidency after an often icy relationship with the Biden Administration.
The relationship between both men grew stronger during the 2024 campaign after former President Joe Biden pledged to never shake bin Salman’s hand, citing human rights abuses by his country. However, Biden contradicted himself later when he instead gave bin Salman a fist bump when the two men met to reset relations between both nations.
Saudi officials at the time denied that they held Trump in higher esteem than Biden.
“These allegations made by anonymous sources are entirely false,” Prince Faisal told the Wall Street Journal. “The kingdom’s leaders have always held the utmost respect for U.S. presidents, based on the kingdom’s belief in the importance of having a relationship based on mutual respect.”
President Trump’s visit makes good on speculation he offered shortly after being inaugurated that Saudi Arabia might be the first foreign country he would visit after returning to the White House — but only if they buy $500 million worth of American products.
“I did it with Saudi Arabia last time because they agreed to buy $450 billion worth of our product. I said I’ll do it, but you have to buy American products, and they agreed to do that,” the president said in reference to his 2017 visit to the kingdom.
