Trump Gets a Gold Medal as Welcome From Saudi King<br />Flanked by Saudi military personnel standing at attention<br />and alternating Saudi and American flags, Mr. Trump and the king exchanged a brief handshake and a few pleasantries as trumpets blared, cannons boomed and seven Saudi jets streaked through the sky, streaming red, white and blue smoke.<br />Mr. Trump is scheduled to meet first with King Salman and other Saudi royals, but there are no news conferences planned during his visit here.<br />By MICHAEL D. SHEAR and PETER BAKERMAY 20, 2017<br />CreditStephen Crowley/The New York Times RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Trump touched down in this Middle Eastern kingdom on Saturday morning as he sought to escape, if just briefly, the scandals<br />and the chaos that have engulfed his administration back home.<br />Last year, Mr. Obama visited Saudi Arabia for meetings with King Salman and Gulf leaders, but the king did not meet him on the airport’s tarmac.<br />Huge billboards around the city featured Mr. Trump and King Salman, while the city’s roads were lined with alternating American and Saudi flags.<br />During his two-day visit, Mr. Trump is expected to announce a $100 billion-plus arms deal with Saudi<br />Arabia as evidence of a renewed commitment by the United States to the security of the Gulf region.<br />For Mr. Trump, the warm embrace by the Saudi monarchy is a welcome break from the cascade of bad news in Washington.<br />Mr. President, your visit will strengthen our strategic cooperation, lead to global security<br />and stability." Later, the king placed a gold medal, Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian honor, around Mr. Trump’s neck.<br />On Twitter, King Salman posted a message on Saturday: "We welcome @POTUS Trump to KSA.
