RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump opened his four-day Middle East trip on Tuesday by paying a visit to Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for talks on U.S. efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, end the war in Gaza, hold down oil prices and more.

President Trump announced the change in US policy during his speech at a Saudi investment forum, kicking off the first major international trip of his second term.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Trump arrived Tuesday for the first leg of his Middle East tour in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, where he was welcomed with a pomp-and-circumstance-filled ceremony and a high-powered lunch with top business leaders and government figures before giving a speech at an investment forum.

The Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region’s capital markets kicked off 2025 with a strong performance, recording 14 initial public offerings (IPOs) that raised $2.4 billion in Q1, a 106 per cent increase in proceeds compared to Q1 2024.

Saudi Arabia has held off formally joining the BRICS bloc of nations despite attending a meeting in Brazil last week, two sources said, finessing an issue that could upset Washington as Riyadh seeks to seal deals with its U.

President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia marks a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.