Inside US rift over Middle East as Trump heads to his ‘happy place'
There is an abiding image from President Trump's first-term visit to Saudi Arabia, of the businessman from Queens huddled alongside Middle Eastern leaders as they consult a mystical glowing orb.
In a region steeped in gesture and symbolism, speculation abounded as to whether it was some sort of an oracle offering a glimpse into the future — did it signal good fortune or impending doom?
Eight years later, the three men from that day — Trump, President Sisi of Egypt and King Salman of Saudi Arabia — face a leadership-defining challenge of dealing with the fallout of a devastating war in Gaza that has sent shockwaves across the world. The orb, it turned out, was an omen.
A lot is at stake before Trump's tour
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