Trump to make first foreign trip to Saudi Arabia in May: Axios
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According to a White House official, discussions during the visit will center on foreign investments, strengthening ties with Gulf nations, and efforts to end conflicts in the Middle East.
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President Donald Trump shakes hands with Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman during a bilateral meeting in Riyadh, on May 20, 2017. (AP)
US President Donald Trump is set to visit Saudi Arabia in mid-May, marking his first foreign trip since returning to the White House, Axios reported, citing two US officials and a source familiar with his travel plans.
The news website suggested that Trump’s decision to choose Saudi Arabia as his first international destination underscores the strong ties between his administration and Gulf nations, particularly in economic cooperation and investment.
The trip is being planned as the Trump administration seeks to restore the ceasefire in Gaza and push for the release of more Israeli captives held by Hamas.
However, US and Israeli officials indicate that discussions on a potential normalization agreement between "Israel" and Saudi Arabia have been sidelined, largely due to Riyadh's demand for a definitive, time-bound path to Palestinian statehood—something the Israeli government refuses to accept, according to the report.
While the US pursues its wish to incorporate Saudi Arabia into the "Abraham Accords", Trump's controversial proposal to "take over" Gaza and rebuild the Palestinian enclave as the "Riviera of the Middle East" may have caused a setback to this end, The New York Times reported in February.
Saudi Arabia, along with several other Arab countries, swiftly rejected Trump's plan, and the kingdom reaffirmed its demand for a Palestinian state before any normalization with "Israel", citing it was a non-negotiable condition.
The statement was released just after Trump claimed Riyadh had no such condition as he received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House.
Trump's first foreign trip during his previous term in office was also to Saudi Arabia around the same time.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on March 6, Trump confirmed his plans, saying, "I am going to Saudi Arabia. Normally you would go to the UK first. Last time I went to Saudi Arabia. They put up 450 billion dollars."
"This time I said I will go if you put up a trillion dollars to American companies. Meaning the purchase over four years of a trillion dollars. They agreed to do that. So I am gonna be going there," he indicated.
Sources told Axios that discussions about the trip have been ongoing between senior US and Saudi officials, including on the sidelines of talks about the Ukraine war held in Saudi Arabia. One proposed date for the visit was April 28, but it was postponed.
A US official and a source familiar with the matter confirmed to the news website that the trip is now planned for mid-May.
A Trump administration official stated that arrangements for the visit are still in progress.
"An opportunity for international travel for the President is something that is being looked at. We don't yet have a specific plan, and we will provide that information when it is official," a White House official also mentioned.
According to the official, discussions during the visit will center on foreign investments, strengthening ties with Gulf nations, and efforts to end conflicts in the Middle East.
It remains uncertain whether Trump will hold a regional summit with Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia, as he did in May 2017, or whether he will visit other countries in the region afterward, Axios noted.
Read more: Saudi Arabia aims for $600 bln in US investment, trade over four years
