Live

US President Donald Trump lands in Saudi Arabia on official visit

US President Donald Trump lands in Saudi Arabia on official visit
By John Power, Erin Hale, Stephen Quillen and Brian Osgood
Published On 13 May 2025

This live page is now closed. You can continue to follow our coverage here.

13 May 2025 - 20:45
 (20:45 GMT)

Thank you for joining us

That’s a wrap for day 114 of Trump’s second term in office as he begins his four-day tour of the Middle East.

Delve into his decision to roll back sanctions on Syria with our coverage here. And take a look at the weapons deal the US and Saudi Arabia announced with this story.

You can also explore Trump’s decision to welcome a group of white South Africans into the US as refugees with this explainer.

We hope to see you again soon.

A girl waves a Syrian flag in Damascus to celebrate the lifting of US sanctions on May 13, 2025 [Yamam Al Shaar/Reuters]
13 May 2025 - 20:40
 (20:40 GMT)

Here are today’s headlines

  • US President Donald Trump began a four-day tour of the Middle East with a stop in Saudi Arabia, where he was greeted with a lavender carpet, per the royal family’s protocol.
  • Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced a series of strategic partnerships, including Saudi investments in artificial intelligence, energy production and healthcare, as well as a weapons deal worth $142bn.
  • The US president also revealed that he would lift sanctions on Syria imposed under the government of toppled President Bashar al-Assad, describing the move as an effort to give the war-torn country “a chance at peace”.
  • Syria’s Foreign Ministry hailed the announcement as a “turning point” for the country, offering its new government an opportunity “to pursue stability, self-sufficiency, and meaningful national reconstruction”.
  • Trump, however, continued to face scrutiny over a proposed deal to transfer a $400m luxury aircraft from the government of Qatar to the US Department of Defense, with Democrats like Senator Chuck Schumer warning the gift could violate constitutional safeguards.
  • Trump has also continued to push for an expansion of the Abraham Accords, a series of deals he helmed during his first term as US president to normalise diplomatic relations between Israel and its Arab neighbours.
  • In a speech in Riyadh, Trump also encouraged Iran to accept a deal that would limit its nuclear enrichment programme, warning that his efforts at negotiations “will not last forever”.
A man in Damascus celebrates after US President Donald Trump announced he would lift sanctions on Syria on May 13 [Yamam Al Shaar/Reuters]
13 May 2025 - 20:30
 (20:30 GMT)

Where to next for the first foreign tour of Trump’s second term?

Today marked the first day of Trump’s tour of the Middle East, which kicked off in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Wednesday will see the US president fly to Qatar, where he is expected to visit the Amiri Diwan and the Lusail Palace, where a state dinner will be held. Then on Thursday, it’s off to the United Arab Emirates.

The trip marks Trump’s first major international foray since taking office in January for his second term, and it echoes moves he made during his first term as president when he likewise began his overseas diplomatic efforts with a visit to Saudi Arabia in May 2017.

But unlike that first trip as president, this time around, Trump will not be stopping in Israel, a key US ally in the region.

Here are some snapshots from Trump’s visit to At-Turaif, a UNESCO World Heritage Site outside Riyadh.

Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a visit to At-Turaif [Brian Snyder/Reuters]
Camels wait outside the At-Turaif World Heritage Site [Brian Snyder/Reuters]
Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman tour the exhibits at At-Turaif [Brian Snyder/Reuters]

13 May 2025 - 20:15
 (20:15 GMT)

US Muslim rights group welcomes Syria sanctions cancellation

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a US-based Muslim civil rights group, says that Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria will help the country chart a new course following its 13-year-long civil war.

CAIR also called on the Trump administration to push Israel to cease military activities on Syrian territory. Since the fall of Syria’s former President Bashar al-Assad, Israel has pushed to annex territory around the occupied Golan Heights and has bombed Syrian military facilities.

“We commend President Trump for announcing the removal of all Assad-related sanctions imposed on the liberated nation of Syria. This is an important and welcome step,” CAIR director Nihad Awad said in a statement.

“We also encourage President Trump to demand that the Israeli government stop bombing Syria and withdraw from the Syrian territory it has illegally occupied. The Syrian people must be able to rebuild their nation free from foreign sanctions, occupation and interference.”

13 May 2025 - 20:00
 (20:00 GMT)

USDA agrees to restore climate change-related webpages amid legal pressure

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) says it will restore pages on its website related to climate change that were deleted in February.

Those deletions prompted a lawsuit from the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group, which accused the Trump administration of violating rules regarding citizen access to government information.

The Trump administration has attacked references to climate change, which Trump has called a “hoax”.

13 May 2025 - 19:45
 (19:45 GMT)

A look at the presidential history behind Trump’s visit

Francis J Ricciardone, a former US ambassador under the US presidencies of George W Bush and Barack Obama, told Al Jazeera that Trump’s tour of the Middle East is off to a promising start.

“It has all the makings of a spectacularly successful presidential visit, in an allied partner state where presidential relations are particularly important,” Ricciardone said.

“It is President Trump’s first trip overseas in his second term. So that’s a mark of special pride, I think, for the Saudis,” he added.

Ricciardone explained that presidential visits have been a “barometer of success” for the Saudi royal family, stretching back to the 1945 meeting between US President Franklin D Roosevelt and the first king, Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud, during World War II.

The former ambassador also pointed to partnerships made between Bush and the late Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as paving the way for Trump’s visit.

“They did something that I think laid the groundwork for today’s success,” Ricciardone said. “King Abdullah agreed to send what amounted to hundreds of thousands — over a hundred thousand — young Saudis to study in the United States over a period of years. That was half a generation ago.”

“I believe that helped set the deep, deep basis for Saudi-American friendship, with a lot of Americans who learned about Saudi Arabia from those student ambassadors and many Saudis who went back home to build their country with a sense of the possibilities in America.”

Saudi King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud and US President Franklin D Roosevelt discuss Saudi-US relations aboard the USS Quincy on February 14, 1945 [AP Photo]
13 May 2025 - 19:30
 (19:30 GMT)

Democratic officials sue Trump administration for access to federal funds

A group of 20 attorneys general from Democratic-led states have filed two lawsuits alleging that the Trump administration is threatening to withhold billions of dollars in federal funds for transportation and disaster relief.

They said the funds were conditioned on whether they agreed to comply with certain aspects of the government’s immigration crackdown.

“President Donald Trump can’t use these funds as a bargaining chip, as his way of ensuring states abide by his preferred policies,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said at a news conference.

The states said they received a letter on April 24 from the Department of Transportation stating that they must cooperate on immigration enforcement efforts and eliminate policies that the administration accuses of promoting “diversity, equity and inclusion” (DEI). Otherwise, they would risk losing federal funds.

The lawsuits state that those funds are granted by Congress, which allocates funds for federal spending, not the president.

13 May 2025 - 19:15
 (19:15 GMT)

Sanctions relief marks ‘monumental’ shift in US policy: Analyst

Caroline Rose, a director at the New Lines Institute, a US-based think tank, says that she is surprised by today’s decision to end sanctions on Syria.

But, she added, the decision underscores the influence Saudi Arabia has in shaping US foreign policy in the Middle East.

“This was not something that I was expecting whatsoever,” Rose told Al Jazeera.

She noted that there had been reports that Trump might meet with Syria’s new president on the sidelines of his trip to the Middle East, but there were few indications he would pursue something as expansive as sanctions relief.

“Expectations were very low. It wasn’t necessarily even expected that a handshake would take place,” she added, calling the announcement a “monumental” shift in US policy.

“This represents the large influence that Saudi Arabia is now exerting on the Trump administration, especially with the fact of how public it was, with how many Trump advisers and officials were pushing against engagement with the new interim government in any shape or form.”

13 May 2025 - 19:00
 (19:00 GMT)

Top US Democrat slams Trump administration official for reportedly approving Qatar jet deal

US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has demanded in a social media post that the Trump administration provide more information about reports that Attorney General Pam Bondi approved a deal for the US to receive a $400m luxury plane from Qatar.

“Let me get this straight. Pam Bondi was a highly paid lobbyist for Qatar. As AG, she’s dismantled DOJ’s [the Department of Justice’s] enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. And then signed off on the Qatar deal,” Schumer said in a social media post.

“Unreal. I’m announcing a hold on DOJ’s political nominees until we get answers.”

Many of Trump’s nominees to high-level political positions must face a Senate vote before assuming their posts.

But Schumer has pointed to Bondi’s past employment with Qatar as a conflict of interest. He also questioned whether the gifted aircraft is a violation of the US Constitution, which limits what the president can accept from foreign governments.

In a speech before the Senate, Schumer called on Bondi to “testify before both the House and Senate to explain why gifting Donald Trump a private jet does not violate the emoluments clause, which requires congressional approval”.

Qatar’s government has confirmed that the transfer of the jet is under consideration, but has described reports that the plane will be given as a gift during Trump’s visit as “inaccurate”.

13 May 2025 - 18:45
 (18:45 GMT)

Inside the Trump state dinner at the UNESCO World Heritage Site At-Turaif

By Kimberly Halkett

Reporting from Riyadh

After a day of hard work, this is where the business conversations continue — but on a more casual level.

Those conversations are taking place at a site of very historical significance for the Saudi crown prince. This is the house of Saud’s ancestral home, the dynasty’s very first site of living. It is the place where they were living in Diriyah, which is a historical city that was made a UNESCO [United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization] site back in 2010. It is above the Wadi Hanifa River, outside of Riyadh.

This is where the state dinner is taking place. We know that the US president was greeted by the crown prince when his motorcade arrived. We understand that they stood for a group photo.

But there was once again this pageantry that we saw at the beginning of this visit. We are told that there were drums beating, that there were men in white robes who were on white horses carrying American and Saudi flags, that there were people singing.

But also there was, once again, the Saudi crown prince planning a tour for Donald Trump of his development plans for the old city. There’s going to be a $60bn investment to boost this historical site with the UNESCO modifications in mind, so that this can be a World Heritage Site that continues to be preserved but also can be part of Saudi Arabia’s future.

US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud tour the At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site outside of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [Alex Brandon/AP Photo]
13 May 2025 - 18:40
 (18:40 GMT)

Syrian foreign minister thanks Saudi Arabia for role in sanctions relief

In a social media post, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani says relief from US sanctions represents a “new page” for the Syrian people and thanks Saudi Arabia for the role it played in the sanctions’ removal.

“I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – its leadership, government, and people – for the sincere efforts they have made in supporting efforts to lift the unjust sanctions on Syria. This step represents a victory for justice and affirms Arab unity,” al-Shaibani said.

The minister added that the sanctions rollback would mark a “new beginning” in Syria’s reconstruction process after the country’s nearly 14-year civil war.

“Saudi diplomacy has once again proven itself to be the voice of reason and wisdom in our Arab world,” he wrote, addressing Saudi leadership directly. “Your effective contribution to lifting sanctions on Syria reflects a genuine commitment to Syria’s unity, stability, and the return of its active role in the region.”

13 May 2025 - 18:30
 (18:30 GMT)

If you’re just joining us

Let’s bring you up to speed with the main developments from the past few hours:

  • US President Donald Trump has announced that he will drop US sanctions against Syria, put in place during former President Bashar al-Assad’s rule. The announcement was met with applause from a crowd in Riyadh, where Trump is visiting.
  • The US and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement that the Trump administration says will expand cooperation in areas such as security, technology and energy, including $142bn in weapons sales.
  • Trump has criticized Iran as an agent of “chaos” in the Middle East and stresses that he will never allow Tehran to acquire a nuclear weapon.
  • But the US president also says he is willing to “end past conflicts and forge new partnerships” with any party.
  • Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have praised the history of partnership and collaboration between their countries. The crown prince calls the relationship a “pillar” of modern Saudi Arabia.
13 May 2025 - 18:25
 (18:25 GMT)
Developing

Syrian Foreign Ministry says news of sanctions relief is ‘extremely positive’

Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has said it “welcomes” Trump’s announcement that he will peel back sanctions imposed during the government of former President Bashar al-Assad.

“The Syrian Arabic Republic welcomes President Donald Trump’s recent remarks regarding the lifting of sanctions, that were imposed on Syria in response to the war crimes committed by the Assad regime against the people of Syria,” a statement shared by the ministry on social media says.

The statement underscored that the sanctions relief would be regarded as a “shift towards a more constructive international stance on Syria”.

“This development marks a pivotal turning point for the Syrian people as we seek to emerge from a long and painful chapter of war,” it reads. “The removal of these sanctions offers a vital opportunity for Syria to pursue stability, self-sufficiency, and meaningful national reconstruction, led by and for the Syrian people.”

The ministry added that it looks forward to forging a relationship with the US “grounded in mutual respect, trust, and shared interests”.

13 May 2025 - 18:15
 (18:15 GMT)

Iran has yet to comment on Trump’s remarks in Riyadh

While Trump has accused Iran of sowing chaos throughout the Middle East during his speech, he also has suggested that he is open to improving the country’s relationship with the US, even if differences remain. It is unclear how Iran will respond to those comments as negotiations continue over the future of Iran’s nuclear programme.

“This happens in terms of timing at a very critical time,” Tohid Asadi, an assistant professor at the University of Tehran, told Al Jazeera.

“So far, we haven’t had any reactions from Iranian officials on the very latest statement that we heard from Trump. But for the Iranian side, it will be like dancing with the same old tune as they are used to hearing such rhetoric in which we see a very clear voice of hostility,” he said.

“It’s not going to be too new to hear statements calling Iran a force of destruction in the region. On the other hand, we know that Iranians are stating almost the same arguments regarding US interventions in West Asia. This is a sort of back-and-forth rhetoric that we hear,” he added.

13 May 2025 - 18:00
 (18:00 GMT)

US keeps sanctions pressure on Iran

The United States has continued to apply economic pressure against Tehran, even as it hints at the possibility of improved relations between the two countries and meets for negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.

The Treasury Department issued fresh sanctions on Tuesday targeting what it describes as Iran’s “illicit international oil trade”.

“Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control is sanctioning nearly two dozen firms operating in multiple jurisdictions in virtually every aspect of Iran’s illicit international oil trade,” the department said in a statement.

“The Iranian government allocates billions of dollars’ worth of oil annually to its armed forces to supplement their budget allocations, underwriting the development of ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as financing regional terrorist groups.”

13 May 2025 - 17:45
 (17:45 GMT)

Uber boss expects self-driving cars in Saudi Arabia this year

Dara Khosrowshahi, the CEO of ride-sharing app Uber, has said the company plans to launch self-driving cars in Saudi Arabia later in 2025, calling the move a potential game-changer for transport in one of its fastest-expanding markets.

Speaking at the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh, Khosrowshahi praised the kingdom’s “great ambition and momentum”, according to Saudi Arabia’s Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

Uber’s Volvo XC90 self-driving car [Aaron Josefczyk/Reuters]
13 May 2025 - 17:30
 (17:30 GMT)

Boeing considering Saudi role in F-15EX fighter jet supply chain

Boeing official Michael Strosnider has told Saudi state TV that the US aerospace company is considering integrating Saudi Arabia into the global supply chain for its F-15EX fighter jet.

The comments come as Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg joins other top executives in speaking at the investment forum in Riyadh, which Saudi and US leaders have promoted as a catalyst for major economic growth.

A model of a Boeing F-15EX fighter jet [Roslan Rahman/AFP]
13 May 2025 - 17:15
 (17:15 GMT)

Editor’s Choice: What to read and watch right now

Here’s a selection of stories we’ve published covering Trump’s visit to the Gulf:

  • First trips: All the countries visited by US presidents
  • Big bucks: How much are US-Gulf investments worth?
  • What to expect: Trump visits Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE: What to know
  • Touching down: Trump lands in Saudi Arabia on official visit

And there’s more here.

13 May 2025 - 17:00
 (17:00 GMT)

Saudi firm to make $20bn AI investment in the US: White House

The White House has said in a statement that Saudi firm DataVolt “is moving forward with plans” to invest $20bn in artificial intelligence-related sites in the US.

The investment will focus on “AI data centres and energy infrastructure in the United States”, it said.

Separately, the White House statement said Google, DataVolt, Oracle, Salesforce, AMD and Uber are committing to invest $80bn “in cutting-edge transformative technologies” in both the US and Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, US chip company Nvidia and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund-owned AI startup Humain announced a partnership on Tuesday as part of the kingdom’s plans to develop AI and strengthen cloud computing infrastructure with the help of foreign investment.

The two companies said they will leverage Nvidia’s platforms to establish Saudi Arabia as a global leader in AI, graphics processing unit (GPU) cloud computing and digital transformation. In a joint statement, the parties said they will build AI factories with up to 500 megawatts of capacity that will include “several hundred thousand” of Nvidia’s most advanced GPUs over five years.

13 May 2025 - 16:49
 (16:49 GMT)

Syria still faces ‘plenty of obstacles’ besides sanctions

Omar Rahman, a fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, says that while it is important not to overestimate the significance of Trump’s promise to lift sanctions on Syria, it is an important step in the war-torn country’s future.

“It takes away a key obstacle in their ability to establish some kind of economic development, economic prosperity,” he told Al Jazeera. “But there are plenty of other obstacles and challenges the country is facing.”

Rahman said that Saudi Arabia helped push the US towards its decision to drop sanctions.

“I think the United States was really dragging its feet on sanctions – they wanted to use it as leverage in order to push other policies in Syria,” he said, adding that besides Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE were also pushing for this to happen.

“This wasn’t something that was too difficult for Trump to do,” Rahman added. “He didn’t need to get permission from anybody. He didn’t even need consent from Congress.”

Hamas frees Edan Alexander as Israel presses on with its Gaza assault and 71-day blockade of all aid.

Published On 12 May 2025

President makes push to bring down drug prices that have long been a source of financial strain for US patients.

Published On 12 May 2025