In 2017, US President Donald Trump deviated from longstanding American diplomatic norms by selecting Saudi Arabia as his inaugural foreign visit. This trip resulted in the now-iconic image of Trump holding a mysterious glowing orb alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz.
On Monday, while signing a series of executive orders, Trump was questioned about his choice of Saudi Arabia for that initial visit. He explained that the decision was influenced by the Saudis’ commitment to purchase hundreds of billions of dollars in American products, stating he would consider a similar approach again, this time with a target of $500 billion.
“I chose Saudi Arabia last time because they agreed to buy $450 billion worth of our goods. I said I would do it, but they had to commit to buying American products, and they did,” Trump remarked to a reporter in the Oval Office.
When asked about his potential first foreign visit this time, Trump replied, “Well, I don’t know. If Saudi Arabia wanted to buy another $450 or $500 billion, we could adjust for inflation. I think I would probably go there.”
It remains uncertain whether Trump was being entirely serious in his comments. Nonetheless, this statement underscores his policy approach, which emphasizes American trade and economic interests above other considerations.
Relations between the US and Saudi Arabia deteriorated during President Joe Biden’s administration, primarily due to Biden’s condemnation of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Although the Biden administration made efforts to mend ties in the latter part of its term, the relationship never fully recovered.
Under Trump’s administration, the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States became notably warmer. Trump’s son-in-law and former senior advisor, Jared Kushner, developed a personal rapport with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
This connection was particularly significant during the aftermath of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, which was carried out by Saudi agents. As Khashoggi was a resident of the United States, his assassination sent shockwaves through Washington, prompting demands for Trump to denounce the act.
Despite the public outcry surrounding Khashoggi’s death, the Trump administration maintained its ties with Riyadh and obstructed a bipartisan congressional effort to cease U.S. support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.
Prior to his current term, the Trump Organization entered into a brand agreement for a luxury tower development in Saudi Arabia, further illustrating the strengthening relationship between the Trump Organization and Dar Al Arkan, the parent company of Dar Global, the developer involved in the project.
Following his defeat in the 2020 presidential election, Trump was frequently seen with Yasir al-Rumayyan, the head of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, who is also the chairman of the new LIV Golf promotion.
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