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The Guardian
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Stephen Colbert on Trump's international diplomacy: ‘A highest-bidder approach'
Late-night hosts mock corruption in Donald Trump's presidency after his first international visit to Saudi Arabia and acceptance of a $400m luxury plane from Qatar. Trump made his first international trip of his second term on Tuesday, to the nation of Saudi Arabia. 'A president visiting Saudi Arabia on his first official trip is a bit unusual,' said Stephen Colbert on the Late Show. 'Normally, back when we had normal, presidents would make their first international trip to the UK or Canada or any close ally. 'But like everything, Trump's decision seemed to come down to a highest-bidder approach,' Colbert continued. As Trump said in March: 'Last time I went to Saudi Arabia, they put up $450m …' Colbert broke out his Trump impression: 'OK, I'm going around the palace with a big bag. C'mon, just drop your bribe right in. Qatar gave me a jet – can you beat a jet?' On Tuesday, Trump received a lavish welcome in Riyadh, where he was escorted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to a McDonald's semi truck. 'Of course, one of the most rewarding things about traveling the globe is getting the chance to sample the local nugget truck,' Colbert joked. The crown prince, Colbert reminded, ordered the murder and dismemberment of Washington Post columnist and Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Trump, however, described him as such: 'I like him a lot. I like him too much, that's why we give so much, you know? I like you too much.' Or as Colbert translated via Trump impression: 'You're like the son I never had.' On Late Night, Seth Meyers reacted to a statement from Trump that he was 'thinking of flying over' to Turkey to join Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy for peace talks over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 'Oh, were you?' Meyers said. 'Ok, I guess let us know. These are peace talks to prevent the escalation of a war in Europe and you're treating it like it's your neighbor grilling – 'Oh, maybe I'll come by, you're not doing veggie burgers are ya?'' During a press conference on Monday, Trump said that if China had signed a trade deal during his first term, the Chinese 'would be able to buy products that they've never been able to buy'. 'I'm sorry, you think they want stuff from us?' Meyers scoffed. 'They have iPhones. We have cars that can't get wet,' like the Tesla Cybertruck. And on Sunday, Trump's health and human service secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, shared photos of himself and his grandchildren swimming in a Washington creek that is contaminated with sewage and bacteria. 'You know, I used to think it was crazy that he had a brain worm,' said Meyers. 'But now I think it's crazy that he's only had one.' Qatar is helping Trump take his Middle East corruption tour to new heights And on the Daily Show, Jordan Klepper also recapped Trump's first international trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. 'You might be wondering: why did Trump pick these countries for his first foreign trip?' he said. 'Well, there's a strong geopolitical balance that – I'm fucking with you. Corruption!' As Klepper noted, the Trump Organization has construction projects in each of the three countries. 'I never thought I'd say this, but can't these countries go back to something more constructive, like funding terrorism? 'But Donald Trump doesn't see any of these 'business conflicts' as a problem,' he continued. 'If anything, he's taking conflicts to a new height,' with the acceptance of a luxury 747 jet worth $400m from the state of Qatar. The plane would serve as Air Force One, then allegedly be decommissioned and transferred to Trump's presidential library once he leaves office. 'I think we can stop pretending that this plane will be transferred to his presidential library,' Klepper laughed. 'This is like the news reporting your aunt is bringing her 'good friend Linda' to Thanksgiving.' More pressingly, 'apart from being a security concern and a potential bribe, it seems clearly unconstitutional to give the president a gift like this. But what do I know?' According to Trump's attorney general, Pam Bondi, the gift is legally permissible as Trump is not giving Qatar anything in return – at least, in the first 36 hours. It's worth noting, though, that before becoming attorney general, Bondi worked as a foreign lobbyist for the nation of Qatar, earning $115k a month. 'It looks bad,' Klepper joked, 'but if you have to understand: that's a lot of money, and money feels good to have and to spend. So now I get it.'
The National
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Saudi Crown Prince welcomes Donald Trump to kingdom as he begins 'historic' Gulf tour
Live updates: Follow the latest on Trump's Gulf trip US President Donald Trump has arrived in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, kicking off a high-stakes Gulf tour that will continue through to Friday with visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Mr Trump landed on Tuesday at King Khalid International Airport, where he was received by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Typically, a provincial governor or another official would greet a foreign leader on arrival. The change of protocol signals Prince Mohammed's desire to establish a close relationship with the US leader. Mr Trump was also welcomed by Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, and Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, the deputy governor of Riyadh. He is travelling with Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth. This is the 13th visit by a sitting US president to Saudi Arabia, eight presidents having made the trip in total. Saudi and American flags lined the airport grounds, and a purple carpet was rolled out to welcome the visiting delegation – a ceremonial gesture underscoring the significance of Mr Trump's visit. Honour guards stood at attention as part of the formal welcome ceremony. Mr Trump's arrival in Saudi Arabia marks his first official state visit since he returned to the White House in January for a second, non-consecutive term. His first foreign trip was to Rome last month to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. 'I'm about to depart on a historic visit … to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates,' President Trump said at a press conference before leaving Washington. The trip aims to reaffirm strategic ties with Gulf allies amid heightened regional and global tensions. While pressing for a settlement to the war in Ukraine, the Trump administration is also focused on pushing for a new aid mechanism for war-torn Gaza and is urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a new ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Mr Trump's tour also comes amid growing tension over Iran's nuclear programme. US and Iranian negotiators held a fourth round of talks in Oman over the weekend to discuss a potential deal that would curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Mr Trump has previously warned that military action remains an option if diplomacy fails. Despite the security backdrop, Mr Trump's visit is expected to be driven largely by economic goals. The US, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE are expected to announce new investment deals potentially worth trillions of dollars. Saudi Arabia has already committed to investing $600 billion in the US over the next four years, but Mr Trump has said he intends to push for $1 trillion. Similarly, the UAE has announced a 10-year, $1.4 trillion investment framework targeting US-based infrastructure, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, manufacturing and natural gas. Mr Trump's trip, reminiscent of 2017, highlights the prominence he continues to place on transactional diplomacy and his intention to position the US as a preferred partner in the Gulf's evolving economic landscape. However, eight years on from his last trip, the Gulf has become more self-assured and strategically diversified. Observers have suggested that Mr Trump will find a region that has made giant strides, both economically and diplomatically. In Riyadh, Mr Trump is expected to address a Saudi-US Investment Forum at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Centre and attend a summit with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Another top item on his agenda is pushing for Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, the normalisation framework between Israel and several Arab states. But the ongoing war in Gaza has complicated those efforts. Riyadh has reiterated that it will not normalise ties with Israel until a Palestinian state is established. Before the war broke out, Saudi Arabia and Israel were on the brink of a historic US-brokered deal, with key elements including American security guarantees, support for a Saudi civilian nuclear programme and significant concessions for the Palestinians. The war erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostage. Israel responded with a massive military campaign in Gaza, where more than 52,800 Palestinians have since been killed, and much of the territory lies in ruins. Mr Trump does not plan to visit Israel during this trip – a decision that has caused concern in Israeli political circles about the Trump administration's priorities. Analysts argue that Mr Trump views Mr Netanyahu as a potential roadblock to his broader regional strategy. That perception intensified last week after Mr Trump announced that the US would stop air strikes on Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, following their pledge to cease attacks on American vessels in the Red Sea. However, the agreement did not cover Houthi strikes on Israel. Mr Trump's administration also has facilitated the release of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander through back-channel negotiations with Hamas, bypassing Israeli authorities. Mr Netanyahu ties his political survival to continuing the war in Gaza. But many, both in Israel and abroad, believe the continuing campaign serves few – if any – constructive ends.
