RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Trump landed in Saudi Arabia Tuesday morning after receiving a dramatic fighter jet escort through the kingdom’s airspace.
Journalists aboard the presidential aircraft reported that six Saudi F-15s cruised “in close proximity” — three on either side — for the final half-hour of the flight.
Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Dan Scavino, tweeted footage of the unusual escort while still in the air.
Saudi F-15 warplanes escort Air Force One carrying President Trump as it arrives in Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. AP
President Trump arrives at Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Air Force One on May 13, 2025. Reuters
President Trump disembarks Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport Royal Terminal in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday. AP“Thank you for the escort, and having President Trump’s back—We all appreciate it. See you on the ground shortly, THANK YOU!!!” he wrote on X.
Trump gave a fist-pump as he emerged from Air Force One and was greeted on the tarmac by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Bin Salman escorted him down a lavender carpet to an indoor meeting space, where the country’s de facto ruler hosted a coffee ceremony.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick were among the US cabinet members joining Trump’s entourage.
Bin Salman escorted him down a lavender carpet to an indoor meeting space, where the country’s de facto ruler hosted a coffee ceremony. AP
President Trump walks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during an arrival ceremony on Tuesday. AP
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) welcoming US President Donald Trump (L) upon his arrival in Riyadh on May 13, 2025. Saudi Royal Palace/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speak during a coffee ceremony at the Royal Terminal of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. APThe streets of the scorching Saudi capital were lined with US flags for the visit, and mobile billboards along the route this week have been advertising the just-announced Disney Abu Dhabi theme park in the nearby United Arab Emirates.
Trump’s packed schedule on Tuesday includes a speech to an investor forum with tech bigwigs — including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sam Altman — before participating in a state dinner.
His three-nation tour of the Mideast — also including Qatar and the UAE — is expected to focus on drumming up investments for the US.
