Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept $400m Qatari plane - as he touches down in Saudi Arabia

By Henry Moore

Donald Trump has said he would be “stupid” to reject Qatar’s $400m jet to replace Air Force One as he touched down in Saudi Arabia ahead of a three-day tour of the Middle East.

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Trump was pictured shaking hands with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman ahead of a trip which will see him visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Defending his decision to accept Qatar’s gift, which is already in the United States, Trump said: "I think it's a great gesture from Qatar.

"I appreciate it very much. I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer.

"I mean, I could be a stupid person saying: 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane’.”

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Trump will attend a summit of Gulf leaders on 14 May, where he will then travel to Qatar that same day.

He will end his three-day tour in the UAE on 15 May.

The president's tour will involve discussions on trade and investment with Gulf allies as well as attempts to find a peace deal in Gaza.

Dr Ali Alavi, Lecturer in Middle Eastern and Iranian Studies at SOAS, University of London, told LBC he believes President Trump's "primary objective is to secure substantial investments from the three affluent oil states to stimulate America’s economy and align with his campaign promises."

He added: "In exchange for these investments, the United States may offer its commitment to provide security guarantees, akin to a Saudi defence pact, and making progress towards Palestinian statehood."

Dr Alavi explained that both parties share a desire for "a stable region" and that the "Gulf states are also navigating the complexities of rekindling their ties with Iran while simultaneously striving to establish themselves as prominent global mediators."

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Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia was due to be the first foreign trip of his second term in the White House - this was prior to the death of Pope Francis, which meant Trump attended the funeral in Rome towards the end of April.

There are no plans to visit Israel amid rising tensions over the Gaza war.

The Middle East tour is mainly a repeat of the president's first international trip in 2017.

Trump's discussions in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE will involve several topics, including oil and trade, investment, energy partnerships, security, regional conflicts in Israel-Gaza and Yemen, as well as negotiations over the Iran nuclear programme, among other issues.

The US president has already announced Saudi Arabia's commitment to invest $1trn into the US economy and is hoping to secure lucrative investments on the visit.

A Saudi-US investment forum on 13 May in Riyadh will feature CEOs from BlackRock, Palantir, Citigroup, IBM, Qualcomm, Alphabet, and Franklin Templeton.