President Donald Trump is planning a trip to Saudi Arabia in mid-May, which would mark his first journey abroad since returning to the presidency, according to two U.S. officials and another source familiar with the discussions, Axios reports.
Trump’s upcoming visit signals a strengthening relationship between his administration and Gulf states, with a strong emphasis on trade and financial collaboration. The trip comes as the administration continues to push for a truce in Gaza and works to free hostages being held by Hamas.
Interestingly, Trump’s decision to make Saudi Arabia his first overseas stop echoes his first term in office, when he also chose the Kingdom as part of his inaugural international tour in May 2017, the report pointed out.
Talks about the visit have been ongoing between high-level American and Saudi representatives over the past several weeks, including during meetings related to the ongoing war in Ukraine. A tentative travel date of April 28 was initially floated but later delayed.
An official within Trump’s administration acknowledged that preparations for the trip are moving forward.
“An opportunity for international travel for the President is something that is being looked at. We don’t yet have a specific plan, and we will provide that information when it is official,” a White House official told Axios.
The primary agenda for the trip is expected to include discussions on global investments, deeper cooperation with Gulf partners, and regional security challenges.
The Axios report also noted that it is unclear whether Trump will engage with other Arab heads of state during the visit, as he did during his 2017 tour, or if he will travel to additional countries in the region.
Israeli sources indicated that Washington has not reached out regarding a potential stop in Israel as part of the upcoming trip.
Despite ongoing diplomacy, both U.S. and Israeli sources say that the effort to broker a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia has stalled, Axios reported. The central sticking point remains Riyadh’s insistence on a definitive, irreversible path toward a Palestinian state—a demand that the current Israeli leadership strongly rejects.
Last month, Trump replied “no” when asked by Arutz Sheva-Israel National News, during a White House press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whether the Saudis are expecting a Palestinian state as a condition for normalization with Israel.
Saudi Arabia later reaffirmed its stance that normalization with Israel is conditioned on the establishment of a Palestinian state.
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