Sawt Falasteen - Trump starts Gulf trip in Saudi eyeing deals

The trip marks the US president's first major visit abroad of his second term, with the White House saying he looked forward to a "historic return" to the region.

Eight years ago Trump also chose Saudi Arabia for his first overseas trip as president -- when he memorably posed with a glowing orb and participated in a sword dance.

His decision to once again bypass traditional Western allies to travel to the oil-rich Gulf states underscores their increasingly crucial geopolitical role -- along with his own business relations in the region.

Saudi fighter jets escorted Air Force One as Trump landed in the capital Riyadh. The Saudi royal family plans a lavish welcome for the 78-year-old billionaire, who will also address an investment forum.

Trump will take part in a summit of Gulf Arab leaders Tuesday before heading to Qatar.

In the days before the trip, the White House has played an instrumental part in hammering out a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, the release of an American hostage in Gaza and holding another round of nuclear talks with Iran.

Those initiatives came after a surprise announcement by Trump last week of agreeing to a truce with the Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen.

- 'Deals' -

But the focus during the tour of the Gulf will likely be locking down business agreements.

"White House sources have indicated that the president will focus on 'deals'," wrote Daniel B. Shapiro, a distinguished fellow with the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Trump will promote a vision where "extremism is defeated in place of commerce and cultural exchanges".

The Gulf states have positioned themselves as key diplomatic partners during Trump's second term.

Doha remains a major broker for negotiations between Hamas and Israel, while Saudi Arabia has facilitated talks on the war in Ukraine.

Talk of returning to the kingdom has been circulating for months, with Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman vowing to pour $600 billion into US trade and investments.

"I'll be asking the crown prince, who's a fantastic guy, to round it out to around one trillion. I think they'll do that because we've been very good to them," Trump said in response to the offer.

According to a Saudi official close to the defence ministry, Riyadh will push for securing the latest US F-35 fighter jets along with state-of-the-art air defence systems worth billions of dollars.

"We will condition that the deliveries take place during Trump's term," the source told AFP.

- Temporary 'gift' -

On the ground in Saudi Arabia, residents expressed mixed feelings about what the trip would mean.

"I expect that this visit will result in political decisions that will matter to the whole region," Khalifa Oneizi, a 47-year-old Riyadh resident, told AFP.

Others were less confident.

"I am not optimistic about this visit or its results," said Hamad Shahrani, a 62-year-old Saudi national.

Efforts to push Saudi Arabia to recognise Israel are not likely to feature high on the agenda this trip, with Riyadh insisting a Palestinian state must be established before a deal can be brokered.

Iran, meanwhile, is likely to feature prominently during the visit, following a fourth round of talks in Oman over the weekend.

Controversy is also swirling over the president's plans to accept a luxury Boeing jet from the Qatari royal family for use as Air Force One.

Late Sunday, Trump went on the offensive amid a wave of criticism, saying the plane was a temporary "gift".

He later called the deal "a very public and transparent transaction", and on Monday said before leaving Washington for his trip: "I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer."

A.AbuSaada--SF-PST