Donald Trump has decided to make Saudi Arabia his first international destination, skipping the UK despite efforts by British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to encourage a visit.
During a recent meeting in Washington, Starmer showed off a letter from King Charles III inviting Trump for a second state visit to the UK. The gesture seemed to work, as Trump hinted at the possibility of a “great” trade deal between the two countries, raising hopes that the UK might be his first stop abroad.
However, Trump surprised many by announcing he would instead travel to Saudi Arabia. He explained that the decision was influenced by Saudi Arabia’s willingness to invest heavily in American businesses. Trump said, “I’m going to Saudi Arabia.
You know, normally you’d go to the UK first, but I said I’ll go if you pay one trillion dollars to American companies. So, I’m going there.”
This isn’t the first time Trump has chosen Saudi Arabia for an early international trip. Back in 2017, shortly after taking office, he also visited the Middle Eastern country as part of his first overseas tour. During that trip, he also visited Israel, the Vatican, Brussels for NATO meetings, and Italy for a G7 summit.
In contrast, past U.S. presidents have often chosen neighboring countries for their first international visits. For example, Barack Obama went to Canada in 2009, George W. Bush visited Mexico in 2001, and Bill Clinton also chose Canada in 1993, where he met Russian leader Boris Yeltsin to discuss a $1 billion aid package for democratic reforms.
Trump’s decision to prioritize Saudi Arabia over the UK highlights his focus on economic deals and investments, even if it means breaking from traditional diplomatic patterns.
