By Chris Megerian
Washington (AP) – The fist bump seems so long.
Three years after Joe Biden’s quick reception with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Donald Trump listened in an extravagant royal welcome when he arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
The concerns about human rights and fossil fuels in autocracy rich in oil were nowhere on the agenda. Instead, the day was devoted to concluding agreements and celebrating a personal relationship that lasted by scandal and political troubles.
“I really think we love each other,” said Trump, sitting on golden chairs under chandeliers drawn up in the Royal Palace. During a speech later in the day, the president described Prince Mohammed as an “incredible man” and “my friend”.
The feeling was clearly mutual. The crown prince addressed his guest as “my dear president Trump”, and the Saudis played his campaign hymns – “God injuries the USA” and “YMCA” – during his appearance during an investment forum.
For the American Republican President, the visit was a return to the international scene after his return electoral victory (exactly a year ago, he was tried in a case of money and listening to his former lawyer testifying against him in a New York courtroom.)
Although Trump recently attended Pope Francis funeral in Rome, Saudi Arabia was originally intended to be its initial destination abroad, as during its first mandate. It was a golden start for a foreign policy focused on the cash guarantee for American companies.
Trump pumped his fist as he left the Air Force One, then descended the stairs to shake the hand of Prince Mohammed, who praised his guest on the tarmac in a rare demonstration of respect.
The crown prince, the de facto sovereign of Saudi Arabia, is anxious to rehabilitate his world image after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, that US intelligence officials accused him of commanding. He also seeks an economic renewal for the kingdom in order to reduce his dependence on fossil fuels, and the opportunity was an opportunity to demonstrate that investment valves were again open.
The list of guests for a developed lunch was full of business leaders, notably Ruth Porat by Google, Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone Group, Jane Fraser de Citicorp, Alex Karp de Palantir and Jensen Huang de Nvidia. Elon Musk, the richest person in the world and Trump’s largest advisor.
While the Air Force One approached Riyadh, Saudi pilots in six F-15 fighter planes of American manufacture have escorted the plane. After a traditional coffee ceremony inside the royal airport terminal, Trump’s limousine was flanked by runners on white Arab horses carrying American and Saudi flags. An honor guard was aligned with golden swords.
(Missing in the visit was the Orb, a shiny sphere a little larger than a bowling ball that Trump posed memorably for photos during his trip to Riyadh during his first mandate.)
Trump has minimized traditional American alliances in Europe and has often expressed exasperation towards the country’s business and defense partners. But there was not such hesitation to Riyadh, and he said that the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia “was a foundation of security and prosperity”, “
Biden received little from the same pump during his visit three years ago. He had previously criticized Saudi Arabia as a “pariah”, but had still decided to go to the kingdom in an implicit recognition that it was too influential of a world actor to ignore.
The Crown Prince praised the Palais Democratic President, where the two leaders exchanged their handbrus. Their only other joint public appearance was all the cases, because they sat down with each other in a large conference table, flanked by better advisers.
Later that year, OPEC + announced that it would reduce oil production in Biden, whose political fortune was beaten by inflation. The Democratic President acknowledged that it was “disappointment, and that said there are problems” in the American-Saudi relationship.
But there was no friction of this kind when visiting Trump. In his speech, the president flattered Saudi Arabia for its economic development and suggested that foreign leaders should not “give you conferences on how to live and how to govern your own business”.
“You have made a modern miracle in the Arab way,” said Trump.
Prince Mohammed, seated in the audience, placed his right hand on his heart and radiated.
Originally published:
California Daily Newspapers
