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The Saudi crown prince gave President Trump a warm and opulent welcome, reflecting the amity between a royal family and presidential family with diplomatic and business alliances.
May 13, 2025
President Trump was more than 7,400 miles from Palm Beach, Fla., but he looked right at home.
With its giant crystal chandeliers, polished marble, plush carpets and prominently displayed portraits of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Saudi Royal Court had the feel of a Mar-a-Lago East.
On Tuesday, the first day of the president’s four-day Middle East swing, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, gave Mr. Trump the royal treatment.
Mr. Trump was escorted through Saudi airspace by three F-15 fighter jets flanking each side of Air Force One. The presidential limousine was accompanied to the Royal Court in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, by riders on Arabian horses. Musical horns blasted. An honor guard stood at attention as Prince Mohammed guided Mr. Trump into the court along a long, lavender carpet.
The president couldn’t stop smiling, and understandably so. The Saudi royals are his friends and allies. They are his family’s business partners. More than most, they understand his tastes and desires.
“I really believe we like each other a lot,” Mr. Trump said, as he sat beside the crown prince inside the king’s executive office.
As he strolled with Prince Mohammed through the Royal Court, the president appeared impressed by his surroundings. Gold leaf was everywhere: the moldings and the tables and the legs of the blue velvet armchairs were all gilded.
