Key takeaways from day two of Donald Trump’s Center East tour in Qatar

[ad_1] Donald Trump has continued his tour of the Center East with a cease in Qatar, marking the primary time a United States president has made an official state go to to the Gulf nation.

However simply earlier than he boarded Air Pressure One to fly into the Qatari capital of Doha, Trump made historical past in one other approach: He took his first-ever meeting with Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Wednesday marked the midway level in Trump’s four-day journey, which included a gap cease in Saudi Arabia and can conclude on Thursday within the United Arab Emirates.

As together with his different visits, Trump underscored warming relations and increasing enterprise ties throughout his conferences with leaders from Syria and Qatar. However again residence within the US, the Democratic Celebration raised issues about how the Republican chief’s private pursuits could be guiding his closed-door conversations.

Listed below are 5 key takeaways from Wednesday’s conferences and stops.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shakes palms with Syria’s President Ahmad al-Sharaa as Donald Trump appears to be like on [Bandar Aljaloud/Saudi Royal Palace via AP] A high-profile assembly in Saudi Arabia Earlier than setting off for Qatar, Trump took some of the extremely anticipated conferences of his total journey: a sit-down with Syrian President al-Sharaa.

It was the primary time in almost 1 / 4 century that the highest leaders from Syria and the US met head to head. And the assembly was extraordinary for quite a lot of causes: Till December, the US had provided a $10m reward for al-Sharaa’s seize.

It continues to listing Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the armed group al-Sharaa led throughout Syria’s civil struggle, as a “overseas terrorist organisation”, as a consequence of its previous ties with al-Qaeda.

However since a coalition led by HTS toppled the federal government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December, the US has been reevaluating its relationship with the group and its management.

The toppling of al-Assad’s authorities introduced an finish to Syria’s almost 13-year-long civil struggle, and al-Assad — lengthy accused of human rights abuses — fled to Russia.

Within the lead-up to Wednesday’s assembly with al-Sharaa, Trump introduced that he would elevate the sanctions in opposition to Syria put in place throughout al-Assad’s management, a growth that al-Sharaa’s authorities praised as an financial boon and a step in direction of stability.

On Wednesday, al-Sharaa joined Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman for an in-person assembly, whereas Turkiye’s President Recep Erdogan joined by telephone.

Trump “informed President Al-Sharaa that he has an amazing alternative to do one thing historic in his nation”, in response to a read-out from the White Home. He additionally inspired Syria to expel “overseas terrorists” and “Palestinian terrorists” from its borders, in addition to normalise relations with Israel.

The read-out added that al-Sharaa stated he shared the US’s pursuits in “countering terrorism and eliminating chemical weapons”. He additionally inspired the US to put money into Syria’s petroleum sector.

Later, as he boarded Air Pressure One for Qatar, reporters requested Trump to share his first impressions of al-Sharaa.

“Nice. I feel excellent. Younger, enticing man. Robust man. Sturdy previous. Very sturdy previous. Fighter. He’s received an actual shot at pulling it collectively,” Trump replied.

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on board Air Pressure One as he flies to Doha [Alex Brandon/AP Photo] A red-carpet arrival in Qatar Pomp and circumstance have greeted Trump all through his Center East journey to this point, and his arrival in Qatar was no exception.

Even earlier than Air Pressure One touched down within the Qatari capital of Doha, the pageantry of the go to — Trump’s first worldwide tour of his second time period — was on full show.

As he entered Qatar’s airspace, White Home Communications Adviser Margo Martin posted video on-line of F-15 fighter jets on both facet of Air Pressure One, “offering honorary escort” to the president.

A pink carpet greeted Trump as he touched down in Qatar. The nation’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was available to welcome him. And a ceremonial guard, driving atop white horses and camels, trotted alongside his motorcade as he was transported to the positioning of his state go to.

“We’re extraordinarily honoured to have you ever right here. We’re very excited, very completely satisfied. It’s a historic go to,” Al Thani stated. “I don’t know if that you simply’re the primary American president to formally go to Qatar. So we’re very honoured.”

Al Jazeera’s White Home correspondent Kimberly Halkett, who has been following the US president’s journey, stated the opulence of Trump’s tour to this point has been a promoting level to his home audiences.

“ People cherished the pomp and pageantry. They discovered it fascinating to see the state dinner with the camels and to see a few of the tea and occasional ceremonies,” Halkett stated.

Even Trump marvelled on the decor contained in the Amiri Diwan, the federal government centre of Qatar, calling the marble “perfect-o”.

President Donald Trump and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani stroll previous Qatari honour guard in Doha, Qatar [Alex Brandon/AP Photo] A deal to spice up commerce and defence Trump’s White Home has described the president because the “dealmaker in chief”, and every cease to this point on his four-day tour has culminated within the announcement of a serious enterprise take care of the US.

Wednesday’s go to to Qatar was no exception.

The White Home introduced that the US and Qatar had inked offers price a minimum of $1.2 trillion, together with a serious transaction which might see Qatar Airways purchase 210 plane from the US firm Boeing.

That deal alone was price $96bn, in response to a authorities fact sheet . Nonetheless, that was an adjustment downward from a better determine Trump talked about in the course of the journey, $200bn.

“It’s the most important order of jets within the historical past of Boeing. That’s fairly good,” Trump stated as he signed paperwork alongside Emir Al Thani.

In a gesture to his fellow chief, Trump added: “ We’ve been pals for a very long time, lengthy earlier than politics.”

Different elements of the deal included purchases of drone and anti-drone expertise from US defence corporations like Raytheon and investments within the US vitality sector.

“I feel, after signing these paperwork, we're going to one other degree of relationship between Qatar and the USA,” Al Thani stated, thanking Trump.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani welcomes President Donald Trump throughout an official welcoming ceremony on Could 14 [Alex Brandon/AP Photo] Trump points warnings for Iran Whereas Trump emphasised his heat relationships with Gulf allies like Qatar, he provided extra pointed remarks to a different highly effective power within the area: Iran.

Since April 12, the US has engaged with near-weekly negotiations with Iran, the latest of which happened last weekend in Oman .

The topic of the talks has been curbing Iran’s nuclear programme. Trump has insisted he want to forestall Iran from ever buying a nuclear weapon, although the federal government in Tehran has lengthy denied any such ambition.

Talking at a state dinner in Qatar’s Lusail Palace, Trump put strain on Iran to deliver the negotiations to an in depth.

“They must get shifting,” Trump stated from his podium on the finish of the desk.

“We wish to see Iran thrive, do nicely, achieve success, be completely satisfied. I do know many Iranians residing in New York and Washington, DC. They’re nice individuals. And we wish to have this finish peacefully, not horribly,” he added.

Whereas Trump has repeatedly signalled optimism {that a} deal will be reached, he did trace that tensions between Iran, the US and international locations like Israel might spiral uncontrolled.

“It’s a dangerous state of affairs, and we wish to do the proper factor,” Trump stated. “We wish to do one thing that’s going to save lots of possibly hundreds of thousands of lives.”

Throughout his first time period, Trump pulled the US out of a 2015 deal that gave Iran sanctions reduction in trade for limiting its nuclear programme.

President Donald Trump speaks throughout a state dinner at Lusail Palace in Doha, Qatar [Alex Brandon/AP Photo] Democrats criticise conflicts of curiosity Again within the US, Trump’s cease in Qatar continued to boost eyebrows amongst his critics, notably within the Democratic Celebration.

The weekend earlier than his journey, Trump confronted controversy over stories that his Division of Defence would settle for a luxurious Boeing jet price $400m from Qatar, dubbed a “palace within the sky”.

Such a present would have been one of many largest within the historical past of the presidency. And critics warned it raised moral and authorized issues, given the Structure’s Emoluments Clause, which prohibits the federal authorities from accepting presents from overseas governments with out prior approval from Congress.

Nonetheless, Trump defended the concept on social media. He referred to as the aircraft a “GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE” that was made “in a really public and clear transaction”.

He additionally walked again media stories that he would use the plane as private transport after leaving workplace. Sources indicated the aircraft was prone to be decommissioned after Trump left workplace and despatched to his presidential library.

In the end, in Wednesday’s assembly with Emir Al Thani, the jet was not talked about. It's unclear whether or not the trade will proceed.

The Democratic Nationwide Committee nonetheless introduced it deliberate to fly a banner over Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida to coincide together with his Qatar go to, emblazoned with the phrase “Qatar-a-Lago”.

Journalists on Air Pressure One pressed the president about one other potential battle of curiosity.

One reporter requested Trump a couple of deal that might see an funding agency within the United Arab Emirates — the following cease on his tour — purchase giant sums of cryptocurrency from an organization run by his household. The deal is reportedly price $2bn.

“I actually don’t know something about it,” Trump replied. “However I’m an enormous crypto fan. I'll let you know, I’ve been that from the start, proper from the marketing campaign. I’m a believer in crypto.”