Trump gets royal chauffeur as Crown Prince MBS of Saudi Arabia drives him in golf cart: Live updates

President Trump was feted as he arrived for an opulent state dinner Tuesday evening at Ad-Diriyah.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally drove him in a golf cart.

A row of men with Arabian horses lined the road. The men held alternating U.S. and Saudi flags.

The UNESCO heritage site is the birthplace of the first Saudi state and the site of a major development project championed by the crown prince.

It's set to be Trump's final event of the day in Riyadh.

A row of men with Arabian horses lined the road. The men held alternating U.S. and Saudi flags.

By Victoria Churchill, U.S. Political Reporter in Washington, D.C.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) arrived in Turkey on Tuesday to discuss the situtation in Syria with Turkish and American officials.

Per a statement from Graham's Senate office, the Senator is enthusiastic that the 'newly formed government in Syria may be a good investment and could be the pathway to unifying Syria, making it a stable part of the region. However, there is a lot that must be learned before making that determination.'

A stable Syria would be a game changer for the region, but given its past, their progress must be evaluated closely, Graham also noted in the aforementioend statement.

Also scheduled to happen in Turkey this week is a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Donald Trump spoke with Edan Alexander on the phone on Tuesday.

The president's Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino tweeted an image of Trump speaking to the released hostage on Tuesday.

He made the call from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – where Trump is visiting as part of his first Middle Easy trip of his second term.

Alexander was the last living hostage to be released from Hamas captivity.

Jon Michael Raasch, Political Reporter for DailyMail.com

Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., is currently introducing articles of impeachment against Donald Trump on the House floor.

The little-known Democrat has lobbed a high-profile attack against the president.

Thanedar is notably introducing the articles while Trump is overseas in Saudi Arabia.

The Democrats' charges include bribery, abuse of power, obstruction of justice and more.

Victoria Churchill, U.S. Political Reporter in Washington, D.C.

A MAGA incumbent senator's re-election hopes could be in jeopardy after a bombshell new poll showed him down 16 points to his flashy 'playboy' primary opponent.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is well ahead of Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) according to polling from the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF).

The SLF poll first reported by Punchbowl News shows Cornyn trailing Paxton, 34 percent to 50 percent, with 17 percent of respondents noting that they were undecided.

In a hypothetical three-way contest including Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), Paxton still prevailed with 44 percent of respondents supporting him. Cornyn took second place with 34 percent, and Hunt came in third at 19 percent.

President Donald Trump has not yet issued an endorsement in the GOP primary contest.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent and Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent For Dailymail.Com In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump capped a full day of activities in Saudi Arabia with a state dinner at the At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The sandstone building is an important site in the Kingdom and is seen as the capital of Saudi dynasty.

The president was greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. The two men had spent the day together in meetings, speaking to business leaders and signing agreements on investments.

After touring a model of how the area looked in its heyday, Trump and MBS boarded golf carts with the Crown Prince driving the president to the dinner location. Beating drums and a chanting chorus played them to their destination.

'Amazing job,' Trump said.

Trump arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday morning and hit the ground running. Members of his staff and some Cabinet officials were seen stifling yawns as the day of meet-and-greets and official gatherings continued.

For the dinner, the president wore the same suit and purple tie he’s had on all day.

Elon Musk, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were spotted among the state dinner attendees.

By Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday night that he would be removing all sanctions from Syria after the fall of the Assad regime in December.

''Oh what I do for the crown prince,' Trump said, referencing Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud who had pressed the U.S. president on the sanctions issue.

Earlier, after Daily Mail posed a question to Trump about whether he'd meet with Syria's new President Ahmed al-Sharaa while visiting Saudi Arabia, the White House confirmed that the two leaders would 'say hello.'

Onstage Trump said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would meet with his Syrian counterpart this week in Turkey before making the sanctions announcment.

'Now it's their time to shine,' Trump said, receiving a standing ovation from the audience.

By Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump lightly pushed Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords during a speech in Riyadh alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud Tuesday night.

Getting Saudi to sign onto the accords is currently a heavy lift due to the ongoing war in Gaza.

MBS has called for progress toward a two-state solution and for Gaza to become part of a permanent Palestinian state in order to join the accords, which would normalize the kingdom's relations with Israel.

'It's my fervent hope, wish and even my dream that Saudi Arabia ... will soon be joining the Abraham Accords,' Trump said onstage at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump and MBS attended a ceremony after the U.S. and Saudi signed a number of deals including a defense spending deal and a deal with the Smithsonian National Zoological Park - including helping the Saudis with their Arabian leopard breeding program.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

President Donald Trump offered a telling glimpse into his philosophy of life during his remarks to a Saudi investment forum.

'I don't like permanent enemies, but sometimes, you need enemies to do the job and you have to do it right. Enemies get you motivated,' he said.

By Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump slammed the foreign policy of his own party - during his speech to the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum in Riyadh Tuesday night.

In a released excerpt from the White House, Trump was set to say:

In the end, the so-called "nation-builders" wrecked far more nations than they built - and the interventionists were intervening in complex societies they did not understand.

It was Republican President George W. Bush who launched U.S. troops into Afghanistan on the heels of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks and then started a preemptive war with Iraq in 2003 to stop 'weapons of mass destruction' getting into the hands of dictator Saddam Hussein.

Trump has been immensely critical of Bush and the 'neocons' foreign policy.

When the president delivered the speech, he went after the 'neocons' by name - and noted that they left Kabul and Baghdad in tatters.

Jon Michael Raasch, Political Reporter for DailyMail.com

After Qatar announced its plan to gift Donald Trump a jet, the president's closest MAGA allies in Congress are telling the president to be wary of the 'bribe.'

The Qatari royal family has given the president a Boeing 747-8, a gift reportedly worth $400 million, which Trump said would serve as a replacement to Air Force One 'temporarily.'

The president has been frustrated that his 2018 order for new planes to replace the aging fleet has been continuously delayed by Boeing. Estimates range, but some indicate the Air Force One replacements won't come until after Trump's term ends.

'So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a gift, free of charge, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, top dollar, for the plane,' Trump posted.

'Anybody can do that! The Dems are world class losers!' Trump sneered.

President Donald Trump lavished praise on the Saudis during a speech at an investment forum in Riyadh.

He took the stage to his rally entry song: Lee Greenwood’s 'God Bless The U.S.A.'

Notably, Trump praised Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as an 'incredible man.'

'There’s nobody like him,' he said.

By Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump will 'say hello' to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday while on the ground in Saudi Arabia a White House official confirmed.

On Tuesday, Daily Mail asked Trump if he planned to meet with the new Syrian leader.

Trump appeared to mouth 'I think so' before getting in the Beast.

al-Sharaa pitched building a 'Trump Tower Damascus' to woo the U.S. president into dropping sanctions in place from the Assad regime. The Syrian leader was also set to offer a detente with Israel and the U.S. some of Syria's oil in order to get the damaging sanctions removed, Reuters reported Monday.

The president arrived in Riyadh Tuesday morning to great fanfare - with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud greeting Trump at the airport and sticking close to his side all day.

The Saudis had pushed Trump to meet with al-Sharaa

'The President agreed to say hello to the Syrian President while in Saudi Arabia tomorrow,' a White House official said.

By Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump will 'say hello' to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday while on the ground in Saudi Arabia a White House official confirmed.

On Tuesday, Daily Mail asked Trump if he planned to meet with the new Syrian leader.

Trump appeared to mouth 'I think so' before getting in the Beast.

al-Sharaa pitched building a 'Trump Tower Damascus' to woo the U.S. president into dropping sanctions in place from the Assad regime. The Syrian leader was also set to offer a detente with Israel and the U.S. some of Syria's oil in order to get the damaging sanctions removed, Reuters reported Monday.

The president arrived in Riyadh Tuesday morning to great fanfare - with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud greeting Trump at the airport and sticking close to his side all day.

The Saudis had pushed Trump to meet with al-Sharaa

'The President agreed to say hello to the Syrian President while in Saudi Arabia tomorrow,' a White House official said.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

Elon Musk spoke to a Saudi investment forum shortly before President Donald Trump arrived to address the group.

The richest man in the world thanked the Kingdom for approving the use of Starlink, his internet provider satellites.

And he also had an announcement: he’s bringing robo-taxis to Saudi Arabia.

‘You can think of a car or future cars as being robots on four wheels. And, you know, I think it would be very exciting to have autonomous vehicles here in the Kingdom,’ Musk said.

The CEO got a warm welcome from the group. He only spoke for about five minutes.

President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a defense and security partnership worth about $142 billion.

The White House called it the ‘largest defense sales agreement in history’ but offered no other details on what the deal entails other than ‘providing Saudi Arabia with state-of-the-art warfighting equipment and services from over a dozen U.S. defense firms.’

‘This deal represents a significant investment in Saudi Arabia’s defense and regional security, built on American systems and training,’ the Trump administration said.

The president is well known for his love of fast food.

And in case he gets homesick there is a mobile McDonald's in Riyadh.

Jon Michael Raasch, Political Reporter for DailyMail.com

While President Donald Trump travels abroad to secure investments and economic deals, Meta, known for its Facebook and Instagram platforms, announced it has contributed half a trillion dollars to the U.S. economy.

'A new Meta study-which measured how ads on our platform drive purchases- shows the impact of Meta’s AI-driven ad technologies on America’s economy, businesses and workers,' Joel Kaplan, Meta's chief global affairs officer, said in a statement.

'In the United States, Meta’s personalized advertising technologies were linked to nearly $550 billion in economic activity and 3.4 million jobs in 2024.'

The release seeks to highlight how the Zuckerberg-led business is investing in the U.S. amid Trump's search for foreign investments.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud signed several memorandums of understanding as part of a series of investments Trump has wanted from the Saudis.

Trump pushed for $1 trillion but the Saudis only gave $600 billion.

The signed agreements focus on several areas, including energy, defense, and infection diseases.

And one MOU includes the cute, fuzzy kind. The Smithsonian Zoo has agreed to help the Saudis with the conservation of the Arabian leopard, a critically endangered species.

The National Zoo in Washington D.C. will help the animal, the smallest of the leopard species, with its breeding program.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Former President Joe Biden , 82, has a 'small nodule' on his prostate that needs 'further evaluation', according to multiple reports.

It was found during 'a routine physical exam,' a spokesperson for Biden told ABC News.

Biden left office as the oldest serving president in U.S. history – and it's common for those of the his age to experience prostate issues.

A nodule is a firm lump or swelling that can develop throughout the body. While they can be benign and harmless, some can be associated with bigger health concerns like infections or cancer.

Questions over the former president's age, health and fitness for such an important office ultimately led him to ditch his reelection campaign.

President Donald Trump called Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a 'friend' during their meeting in Riyadh.

'Number one, I like visiting with you, and we've known each other very well, and I really believe we like each other a lot,' Trump told the prince.

'And number two, we in the United States, we've got tremendous investment and tremendous jobs.'

Trump is on a mission to get the Saudis to invest $1 trillion into the United States.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

Elon Musk may be winding down his time in Washington D.C. but he's staying close to Donald Trump's side, including joining the president on his Middle East trip.

Musk and several of the biggest names in American businesses attended a Saudi-U.S. investment forum in Riyadh on Tuesday, joining Trump and the Saudi crown prince for a lavish luncheon.

The Tesla founder traveled to Saudi Arabia independently of Air Force One. He is, however, listed as one of the speaker's at Trump's forum. Trump introduced Musk to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

A crowd of the who's who on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley also is there, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altma, Musk's brother Kimbal, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, LinkedIn's Reid Hoffman, Amazon's Andy Jassy, Google's Ruth Porat, and Boeing's Kelly Ortberg.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

President Donald Trump has brushed off criticism about accepting a lavish $400 million double-decker jet as a gift from the Qatari Royal Family for possible use as Air Force One.

But, alongside the ethics concerns are the security ones.

Retrofitting the 13-year-old aircraft to current Air Force One requirements would take years of work and billions of dollars.

For a plane to bear the presidential moniker, it needs an array of communication and satellite upgrades, most of which are classified.

And former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall pointed out to the Washington Post: ‘We would have to be sure nobody had planted bugs on the airplane.’

All of this could take years. But Trump could wave the requirements if he’d like to use the plane while in office. He toured the plane (see above) when it was parked at the Palm Beach airport in February.

Boeing is outfitting two 747s to serve as Air Force One but the project has faced costly and years-long delays, much to Trump’s frustration.

President Donald Trump received the royal welcome in Saudi Arabia, his first major overseas trip of his second term.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud gave Trump the kind of reception the president adores - an elaborate ceremony featuring military might, escorts on horse back for the Beast, and a royal purple carpet. The national anthems of both nations played.

Trump, in a purple tie for the occasion, chatted amiably with MBS, as the Saudi Crown Prince is known. Formal introductions were made of the delegations and an elaborate coffee and tea ceremony took place.

Victoria Churchill, U.S. Political Reporter in Washington, D.C.

Appearing on CNBC's Squawk Box Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pledged to build a new air traffic control system in three to four years, if Congress goes along with his plans.

'Congress has to fund a massive bill around our airspace and our air traffic control,' Duffy noted.

He added that the creation of a new air traffic control system would cost 'billions and billions of dollars.'

Just a week after Trump took office, the deadly collision of a military helicopter and a passenger jet at Reagan National Airport just outside of the nation's capital of Washington, D.C., gripped the nation and left no survivors.

A radar outage at Newark Liberty International Airport last week caused delays and also prompted mass cancellations.