As US President Donald Trump flew into Riyadh on Tuesday, he received a ceremonial escort from six Royal Saudi Air Force F-15s as his plane, Air Force One, approached the kingdom's capital. Taking to X, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino shared the video showing the Saudi warplanes escorting the presidential aircraft during its final approach to Riyadh. In the caption, Mr Scavino thanked the Saudi government for the escort and for having "President Trump's back".
"Thank you for the escort, and having President Trump's back-We all appreciate it. See you on the ground shortly, THANK YOU!!!" Mr Scavino wrote one X. Separately, Margo Martin, a White House official, also posted video of the escort online, declaring, "Saudi F-15's providing honorary escort for Air Force One!"
Watch the video below:
Trump is on a multi-day tour of the Gulf. Upon touchdown at King Khalid International Airport, he was greeted on the tarmac by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman (MBS). The two walked a purple carpet flanked by a guard of honour - a privilege only bestowed upon the most favoured guests.
After leaving the tarmac, the duo engaged in a conversation during a reception in the royal treatment. There, they sat on golden chairs next to golden tables under massive portraits of the crown prince, King Salman, and the late founder of the kingdom, AFP reported. The pair also partook in a traditional Arabic coffee ceremony.
Later, Trump headed to the Al-Yamama Palace in Riyadh. The Crown Prince and the US President walked through a labyrinth of marble corridors with gold-embellished wooden doors before arriving in a vast reception hall dotted with gigantic chandeliers.
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In Saudi Arabia, Trump praised the country's leadership for its modernisation push and said Iran, Lebanon and Syria all had the opportunity for a brighter future. The Middle East would be "defined by commerce, not chaos," he said.
Of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump said, "I like him a lot".
"Critics doubted it (Saudi's rise) was possible, what you've done, but over the past eight years. Saudi Arabia has proved the critics totally wrong...I like him a lot. I like him too much," the US President said.
Marking his commitment to a "close relationship" between the US and Saudi Arabia, Trump also announced he was lifting sanctions on Syria at the request of MBS and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and said, "Oh, what I do for the crown prince." He further described the kingdom as "the center of the world".
