President Trump Receives Saudi Arabia’s Highest Civilian Honor During Historic Middle East Trip
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — May 20, 2017
President Donald J. Trump was awarded Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian honor, the Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud, on Saturday during a lavish ceremony in Riyadh — the first stop of his historic eight-day foreign tour across the Middle East and Europe.
The honor was bestowed upon the U.S. President by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, recognizing Trump’s efforts to strengthen bilateral ties and promote regional security cooperation. The award ceremony was held at the Royal Court shortly after Trump’s arrival, and marked a key moment in a trip that many analysts viewed as a major diplomatic reset between Washington and the Arab world.
The visit to Saudi Arabia was the first time a U.S. president had made the kingdom the initial destination of an international trip — a notable departure from traditional first visits to neighboring countries like Canada or Mexico. Trump’s decision was widely interpreted as a symbolic gesture underscoring the administration’s commitment to forging strong alliances in the fight against extremism.
During his two-day stay, Trump participated in a series of high-profile meetings with Gulf leaders and addressed the Arab Islamic American Summit, attended by over 50 Muslim-majority nations. In his keynote speech, he urged the Islamic world to “drive out the terrorists” and emphasized shared interests in combating radical ideology.
“America is prepared to stand with you in pursuit of shared interests and common security,” Trump declared. “But the nations of the Middle East cannot wait for American power to crush this enemy for them.”
The trip also saw the signing of a landmark $110 billion arms deal between the United States and Saudi Arabia, aimed at bolstering defense capabilities and deepening military cooperation.
Following his visit to Saudi Arabia, President Trump continued on to Israel and the West Bank, where he sought to reinvigorate peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. His tour concluded with stops at the Vatican, a NATO summit in Brussels, and the G7 summit in Sicily.
While some critics raised concerns over the human rights records of U.S. allies in the Gulf, supporters hailed the trip as a strong show of leadership and diplomacy aimed at uniting key players against the threat of terrorism.
President Trump’s Middle East visit marked a sharp shift in tone and engagement from previous administrations, signaling a renewed U.S. presence and influence in the region.
