Trump planning to visit Saudi Arabia in mid-May, Axios reports

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump is planning to visit Saudi Arabia in mid-May on his first foreign trip of his second term, Axios reported on March 30, citing two US officials and a source with knowledge of the president's travel.

Saudi Arabia has been taking a more prominent role in US foreign policy.

The country has hosted talks between the US and Russia and Ukraine as Mr Trump seeks a ceasefire to the war and the White House has singled out the country as a possible participant in the Abraham Accords.

Mr Trump said earlier in March that he would likely make his first trip abroad to Saudi Arabia to seal an agreement for Riyadh to invest upwards of US$1 trillion (S$1.34 trillion) in the US economy, including purchases of military equipment.

He said on March 6 he would probably travel there in the next month and a half.

He noted the first overseas trip of his first term was to Riyadh in 2017 to announce Saudi investments estimated then to be worth US$350 billion.

Axios reported the potential trip was discussed in recent weeks between senior US officials and their Saudi counterparts, including on the sidelines of talks about the war in Ukraine, according to sources.

One source said April 28 was discussed as a potential date for the visit but was postponed, while an official and a source familiar said the current plan is for Mr Trump to travel to Saudi Arabia in mid-May, according to Axios.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Last week, Mr Trump vowed more countries will be added to the Abraham Accords, the series of normalisation his administration negotiated between Israel and some Gulf countries during his first term.

Mr Trump said more countries want to join the accords.

While the White House has singled out Saudi Arabia as a possible participant in the accords, the Saudis have qualms about Israel due to the Gaza war. REUTERS