Daily Times

RIYADH: President Donald Trump reached Saudi Arabia on Saturday for a visit aimed at building stronger partnerships to combat terrorism in the region and moving past the controversies engulfing his young administration.

A red carpet was rolled out and staircase rolled up to Air Force One minutes after it landed shortly before 9:50 a.m

Trump and his wife Melania, who dressed according to Saudi culture but did not cover her hair, walked side-by-side to the tarmac where they both shook hands with Saudi King Salman.

He’s the only American president to make any majority Muslim country his first stop overseas as president a scheduling choice designed in part to show respect to the region after months of harsh anti-Muslim campaign rhetoric.

“President Trump understands that America First does not mean America alone,” said HR McMaster, Trump’s national security adviser. “Prioritizing American interests means strengthening alliances and partnerships that help us extend our influence and improve the security of the American people.”

White House officials hope the trip marks an opportunity for Trump to recalibrate after one of the most difficult stretches of his young presidency. The White House badly bungled the president’s stunning firing of FBI Director James Comey, who was overseeing the federal investigation into possible ties between Trump’s campaign and Russia. On Wednesday, the Justice Department relented to calls from Democrats to name a special counsel, tapping former FBI chief Robert Mueller to lead the probe.