Donald Trump, who is on a four-day visit to the Middle East, has had a pretty eventful tour so far. With stops in Riyadh, Doha, and the UAE, the US President had some high-profile diplomatic engagements with regional leaders. He also visited military bases, toured cultural landmarks, and announced new trade and defence deals.
Trump began his trip in Saudi Arabia, arriving in Riyadh on May 13. Air Force One was escorted by Saudi F-15 fighter jets.
Upon arrival, the Beast, the US presidential limousine, rolled into the Saudi Royal Court accompanied by a parade of horses carrying American flags.
In Riyadh, Trump met Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa and urged him to normalise ties with Israel.
The highlight of the Riyadh leg was the signing of a record-breaking $142 billion arms deal between the US and Saudi Arabia, the largest in American history, according to the White House. Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman signed the deal. The agreement covered military systems, gas turbines, services, and arms, laying the groundwork for future energy and security cooperation.
In Doha, Qatar, Trump was welcomed by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the Al Wajba Palace. The reception featured a traditional sword dance, where Trump watched on as Qatari dancers performed the ceremonial Ardah.
It was the camelcade that stole the show. As Trump's motorcade made its way to the palace, it was flanked by rows of camels mounted by sherpas, dressed in traditional Qatari attire.
Red Cybertrucks (Tesla's futuristic electric pickup) also joined the convoy.
Later in the day, Trump visited US troops stationed at Al Udeid Air Force Base and attended a state dinner in Doha. Here, he announced several trade and defence deals with Qatar, including what he called a "record order" of Boeing jets.
Trump's final stop was the UAE, where he was welcomed by President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Air Force One was escorted by Emirati F-16s and Mirage jets as it landed in Abu Dhabi.
The highlight of the Emirati welcome was the ceremonial reception at Qasr Al Watan, the UAE's presidential palace, where Trump was welcomed with the beating of drums.
One of the rich moments of the UAE visit was the Al-Ayyala dance, a traditional war dance performed by lines of women in white robes, rhythmically swaying canes and flipping their hair to the beat of drums. The dance is often called the "hair flip dance".
Trump also toured the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, an architectural marvel and one of the world's largest mosques.
Trump announced over $200 billion in new business deals with the UAE, along with a major agreement on artificial intelligence (AI).
