Trump signals shift in US foreign policy

US President Donald Trump began his first overseas trip in Saudi Arabia, where he got a royal welcome on Saturday in stark contrast to the low-key reception offered to his predecessor Barack Obama last year, perhaps owing to the latter's nuclear agreement with Iran in 2015.

Trump could claim the fanfare with which he received in Riyadh reflects the success of his "Buy American, Hire American" policy, especially because he has cut a deal to sell US-made military arms to Saudi Arabia, worth $110 billion effective immediately and up to $350 billion over 10 years. Trump's ultimate aim is to promote US exports. He chose Saudi Arabia as his first stop on his first foreign trip as US president because the Saudis have both the motivation and the resources to buy US products and were intent on revitalizing Washington-Riyadh ties after the cooling of bilateral relations during Obama's presidency.

Despite his instable temperament, Trump, it has to be assumed, is also a politician. He wanted to assert his leadership qualities by meeting some Middle East leaders to urge them to fight terrorism, and to mobilize opposition against Iran so that it cannot develop missile and nuclear weapons technology. In this regard, Trump should appreciate the Saudi King's role as the host of an "Arab-American" meeting, which set the stage for him to sell his vision of forming a NATO-like organization in the Middle East.