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Trump's visit reinforces pivotal Saudi role as hub of regional decision-making and key player in global stability

RIYADH — Air Force One will land in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Tuesday, May 13, carrying US President Donald Trump on the first official foreign visit of his second term in the White House. This visit is an indication of the advanced geopolitical position that Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states now enjoy, not only as a pivotal player in the region's stability, but also due to their economic weight and reformist tendencies.

Trump will meet Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on the first day of his visit and is then expected to attend a summit of Gulf leaders on Wednesday May 14, before travelling to Qatar that same day, and then ending his three-day trip in the United Arab Emirates on May 15. Saudi Arabia was also the first country that Trump visited during his first term of office, going against the modern practice of US presidents to start overseas trips with visiting the United Kingdom, Canada or Mexico.

Ten major topics are expected to be figured on top of the agenda in the summit meeting between Trump and the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. These include regional security, energy, defense, and economic cooperation. Washington seeks to strengthen its strategic partnership with its Gulf partners in light of accelerating international changes.

The US State Department affirms that President Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states highlights the importance the United States places on its relations with its partners in the Middle East, noting that coordination with Saudi Arabia is a key element in addressing issues that transcend regional borders.

Speaking to Al-Arabiya.net, Richard Weitz, director of the Center for Political-Military Analysis at the Hudson Institute, noted that Trump's second visit to Riyadh reflects a growing awareness of Saudi Arabia's pivotal global role, noting that Riyadh today is not only the capital of regional decision-making, but has become a magnet for international investment and a key player in global stability.

Weitz believes the visit represents a recalibration of the American compass in the Gulf, after relations witnessed some tension during the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden. He notes that Trump seeks to make a greater effort to strengthen the partnership with Saudi Arabia, particularly with regard to combating terrorism, controlling energy prices, and confronting challenges related to China and Russia.

Saudi researcher Munif Amash Al-Harbi said that the partnership between Riyadh and Washington is a strategic one with political, economic, security, and intelligence dimensions. He explains that the United States remains the Kingdom's primary security partner, and that bilateral understandings enhance common interests and contribute to consolidating regional and international stability.

For his part, American researcher at the Atlantic Council Tom Warrick, believes that Trump's visit represents an important opportunity for direct dialogue that will enhance understanding on key issues, adding that the two countries can push for effective participation in regional security, especially with regard to reconstruction and achieving lasting peace in the Gaza Strip.

The American news website Axios revealed that the Gulf-US summit in Riyadh will witness the US President presenting his country's vision for Middle East issues, while also presenting a clear vision of his administration's foreign policy priorities for the coming years. The issues on the table for Trump and the Gulf leaders include the Ukrainian crisis, the situation in Gaza, consolidating the truce in Yemen, strengthening Syrian unity, and mechanisms for cooperation in the fields of defense, investment, and energy.