Saudi officials have told the White House that King Salman will publicly say it’s the responsibility of leaders throughout the Middle East to defeat radical ideology in the region, according to another administration official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the visit.
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In response to media reports about the possibility of the premier’s bilateral meetings at the Islamic summit in Riyadh, the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the “full agenda of the half-day summit”, does not permit sideline bilateral meetings.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will leave for Saudi Arabia tomorrow to attend an global Islamic conference where he is likely to meet US President Donald Trump.
Both these explosive new revelations were reported just about the time Air Force One was clearing the United States airspace carrying President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to their first overseas tour that starts in Saudi Arabia and will take them to more 5 nations before they return home after 9 days.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump step off Air Force One upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday.
Trump will also participate in the Arab-Islamic-American Summit and will meet with leaders of over 50 Arab and Islamic states to discuss cooperation in confronting extremism and worldwide terrorism.
A president’s first foreign visit is often read as a sign of the administration’s policy priorities and no other USA leader has chosen the kingdom for their initial worldwide foray.
A senior adviser to President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump will be present for six days of the nine-day trip, which begins Friday, the official said.
No modern president has attempted such an ambitious debut on the world stage, and Trump’s itinerary – which also includes a two-day visit to Israel, an audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican, and participation in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and G7 summits – is being carefully choreographed to present Trump as a confident commander-in-chief.
Mr Trump will addresses the leaders of Arab and Muslim nations in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud meets with U.S. President Donald Trump during a reception ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2017.
The two men have appeared at odds on many subjects including climate change and the plight of refugees, but the Pope has said he will give the president an open-minded hearing.
In a sweetener for Saudi Arabia, U.S. officials said the Trump administration plans to announce $110 billion in advanced military equipment sales and training to the kingdom during the trip.
A few weeks later, German chancellor Angela Merkel also made a point to go to Saudi Arabia with her head uncovered, after her country’s Parliament approved a ban on civil servants, judges and soldiers wearing Islamic full-face veils at work.
Donald Trump begins his maiden worldwide trip as USA president Friday, leaving the White House awash in a slew of controversies that has some politicians invoking comparisons to the Watergate scandal that brought down the presidency of Richard Nixon.
The avalanche of revelations in the run-up to his departure has eroded Trump’s standing at home – where the parallels with Richard Nixon’s ill-fated presidency are now being openly drawn. But it’s increasingly clear that the swirl of controversy will shadow Trump during his stops in Saudi Arabia, Israel, Rome, Brussels, and Sicily.
Mr Trump’s spokesman Sean Spicer did not dispute the account, adding: “By grandstanding and politicising the investigation into Russia’s actions, James Comey created unnecessary pressure on our ability to engage and negotiate with Russian Federation”.
The White House was rocked by another bombshell when reports emerged that Trump said his firing of “nut job” Comey had relieved “great pressure” on him due to the investigation.
The speech envisions new partnerships with America’s traditional allies in the Middle East.
For one thing, Trump was highly vocal in his opposition to President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran; the Saudis strongly opposed that deal.
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“While I’m there, I’ll also meet with President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority in Bethlehem to discuss ways to advance peace between Israel and the Palestinians”.
