Post by Origanalist on May 20, 2017 6:18:13 GMT -8
TRUMP'S FIRST FOREIGN TRIP
MAY 20 2017, 9:28 AM ET
Donald Trump Lands in Saudi Arabia on First Overseas Visit of Presidency
by ALI VITALI and SAPHORA SMITH
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — A royal greeting awaited President Donald Trump Saturday when he touched down in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and a leading regional power.
A president's first foreign visit is often read as a sign of the administration's policy priorities and no other U.S. leader has chosen the kingdom for their initial international foray.
King Salman met Trump and first lady Melania on the tarmac, and walked them back to the terminal on a red carpet flanked by Saudi military. The party then held a brief ceremony before the president's motorcade sped away from the airport.
American and Saudi flags lined the highways of the country's capital Riyadh, along with billboards featuring Trump's face. Trumpets played and jets flew overhead streaming red, white and blue.
The fanfare contrasted with the low-key reception offered to former President Barack Obama last year. That visit followed a fraying of U.S.-Saudi ties, while Trump's arrival is seen by both administrations as an opportunity to reset the relationship, especially after the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran that Riyadh vehemently opposed.
Hours later President Trump arrived for his official welcome ceremony at royal offices flanked by a herd of horsemen carrying Saudi and American flags. While there he was awarded the Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud Medal, considered the kingdom's highest honor.
www.nbcnews.com/storyline/trump-s-first-foreign-trip/donald-trump-lands-saudi-arabia-first-overseas-visit-presidency-n762126