Scoop: Trump to visit Saudi Arabia in May for first foreign trip, sources say

President Trump is planning to travel to Saudi Arabia in mid-May on his first foreign trip since returning to the White House, two U.S. officials and a source with knowledge of the president's travel said.Why it matters: Trump's decision to go to Saudi Arabia on his first foreign trip signals how close the relationship between the Trump administration and Gulf countries has become, especially when it comes to economic cooperation and investment.Planning for the trip is taking place as the Trump administration works to resume the ceasefire in Gaza and get Hamas to release more hostages.U.S. and Israeli officials say at this point plans for a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia have been put on the back burner, in large part because the Saudis want an irreversible time-bound path for establishing a Palestinian state — something the Israeli government doesn't accept.Flashback: Trump's first foreign trip during his previous term was also to Saudi Arabia at roughly the same time.Driving the news: Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on March 6 that he would likely visit Saudi Arabia "over the next month and a half.""I am going to Saudi Arabia. Normally you would go to the UK first. Last time I went to Saudi Arabia. They put up 450 billion dollars," Trump said."This time I said I will go if you put up a trillion dollars to American companies. Meaning the purchase over four years of a trillion dollars. They agreed to do that. So I am gonna be going there," he said.Behind the scenes: The potential trip was discussed in recent weeks between senior U.S. officials and their Saudi counterparts, including on the sidelines of the talks about the war in Ukraine that took place in Saudi Arabia, sources said.One source with knowledge of the plans said one date that was discussed for the visit was April 28, but it was postponed.The current plan is for Trump to travel to Saudi Arabia in mid-May, a U.S. official and a source familiar said.A Trump administration official said planning is underway for the trip to Saudi Arabia. "An opportunity for international travel for the President is something that is being looked at. We don't yet have a specific plan, and we will provide that information when it is official," a White House official said. "Talks will focus on discussing foreign investments, strengthening relationships with Gulf nations and ending conflict in the Middle East," the official said.The White House and the Saudi embassy in Washington declined to comment. It is still unclear if Trump will hold a meeting with Arab leaders from the region in Saudi Arabia as he did in May 2017, or whether he will go to other countries in the region afterward.Israeli officials said the White House hasn't so far discussed with them a possible visit to Israel on the same trip. The big picture: Saudi Arabia is actively engaged in helping the U.S. mediate a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the three-year war. A source with knowledge of the planned visit said the Saudis want the visit to take place after a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is reached.

President Trump is planning to travel to Saudi Arabia in mid-May on his first foreign trip since returning to the White House, two U.S. officials and a source with knowledge of the president's travel said.

Why it matters: Trump's decision to go to Saudi Arabia on his first foreign trip signals how close the relationship between the Trump administration and Gulf countries has become, especially when it comes to economic cooperation and investment.Planning for the trip is taking place as the Trump administration works to resume the ceasefire in Gaza and get Hamas to release more hostages.U.

S. and Israeli officials say at this point plans for a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia have been put on the back burner, in large part because the Saudis want an irreversible time-bound path for establishing a Palestinian state — something the Israeli government doesn't accept.Flashback: Trump's first foreign trip during his previous term was also to Saudi Arabia at roughly the same time.

Driving the news: Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on March 6 that he would likely visit Saudi Arabia "over the next month and a half.""I am going to Saudi Arabia. Normally you would go to the UK first.

Last time I went to Saudi Arabia. They put up 450 billion dollars," Trump said."This time I said I will go if you put up a trillion dollars to American companies.

Meaning the purchase over four years of a trillion dollars. They agreed to do that. So I am gonna be going there," he said.

Behind the scenes: The potential trip was discussed in recent weeks between senior U.S. officials and their Saudi counterparts, including on the sidelines of the talks about the war in Ukraine that took place in Saudi Arabia, sources said.

One source with knowledge of the plans said one date that was discussed for the visit was April 28, but it was postponed.The current plan is for Trump to travel to Saudi Arabia in mid-May, a U.S.

official and a source familiar said.A Trump administration official said planning is underway for the trip to Saudi Arabia. "An opportunity for international travel for the President is something that is being looked at.

We don't yet have a specific plan, and we will provide that information when it is official," a White House official said. "Talks will focus on discussing foreign investments, strengthening relationships with Gulf nations and ending conflict in the Middle East," the official said.The White House and the Saudi embassy in Washington declined to comment.

It is still unclear if Trump will hold a meeting with Arab leaders from the region in Saudi Arabia as he did in May 2017, or whether he will go to other countries in the region afterward.Israeli officials said the White House hasn't so far discussed with them a possible visit to Israel on the same trip. The big picture: Saudi Arabia is actively engaged in helping the U.

S. mediate a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the three-year war. A source with knowledge of the planned visit said the Saudis want the visit to take place after a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is reached.

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