Donald Trump attends a state dinner in Doha after announcing a series of deals between the US and Qatar - including a "record" order of Boeing jets
His visit could be seen as an acknowledgement of the role Qatar serves for the US - but the president's business empire also has dealings with the Arab nation, writes our correspondent Anthony Zurcher
Before flying there, Trump met his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, urging him to normalise relations with Israel
On the second leg of a four-day Middle East tour, Trump praised Sharaa as an "attractive guy, tough guy"
He later said it's possible he could fly to Turkey tomorrow to attend talks between Ukraine and Russia
We've just heard from Trump that he will remove sanctions on Syria, saying he wants to give the country "a chance at greatness".
Shortly before he started speaking, a White House official said Trump had agreed to "say hello" to the Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is also going to be in Saudi Arabia tomorrow.
The US delegation is in town and their Saudi hosts in Riyadh are pulling out all the stops for them - including this mobile McDonald's truck (McDonald's has hundreds of branches in Saudi).
The BBC team there tells us they've scoped it out.
It's not the easiest place to get vegetarian food, and the chips went down well, one of our producers tells us.
Trump is reported to be a fan of the US fast food chain, and he even donned an apron and served customers at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania during his election campaign.
Lyse Doucet
Chief international correspondent
Image source, EPAWhat the White House calls “the largest defence sales agreement in history” is also a measure of the changing relationship between Washington and Riyadh.
Weapons deals have long been part of this strategic partnership. But in 2021 the Biden’s administration stopped the sale of offensive weapons over Riyadh’s role in the destructive war unleashed in neighbouring Yemen.
This alliance had already been strained by the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Kashoggi; a US intelligence report later found that the killing was approved by the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which he denied.
Relations slowly improved even under President Biden who, as a presidential candidate in 2019, had vowed to turn the kingdom into a pariah state. The sale of offensive weapons was resumed last year.
And there was a push to finalise a defence pact which included a normalisation of relations between the kingdom and Israel.
That’s not on the agenda now as the Gaza war grinds on.
But today President Trump was overhead saying to the crown prince: “I really believe we like each other a lot.”
Image source, EPAAfter speaking for almost an hour, Trump has now wrapped up his remarks - the first public comments we've heard from him since he arrived in Riyadh earlier today.
Here's what he said:
"Together we have made unprecedented strides and tremendous progress," Trump says, adding that "the dawn of the bright new day" awaits the people of the Middle East.
"For the first time in a thousand years the world will look at this region not as a place of turmoil, strife, war and death but as a land of opportunity and hope," he continues.
Trump goes on to say that his administration has launched the "golden age of America" and, with the help of the people of the Middle East, the "golden age of Middle East can proceed right alongside us".
"We will work together, we will succeed together, win together and we will always be friends," he says.
Wrapping up his speech, Trump thanks Mohammed bin Salman - which receives a standing ovation - saying "we are with you all the way".
The president shakes hands with the crown prince on stage as the song YMCA blares through the auditorium.
Continuing, Trump moves his focus to the Israel-Gaza war, and mentions the release of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander yesterday.
He says "all civilised people must condemn the October 7 atrocities against Israel", claiming it would never had happened had he been president at the time.
"The people of Gaza deserve a much better future," he says - a line which gets applause in the room.
But he adds that cannot occur "as long as their leaders choose to kidnap, torture and target innocent men, women and children for political ends".
Image source, ReutersBefore that announcement was made, the US president was talking about the US's defence capabilities.
He says his administration is in the process of getting a budget of $1tn (£0.75tn) approved, and that his country's military is the most powerful it has ever been, and they are getting "the greatest missiles, the greatest weapons".
"I will never hesitate to wield American power to defend the US or to help defend our allies," he says, pointing to the Saudi crown prince.
Trump adds that the US has recently launched strikes on the Houthis, following attacks on American ships and navigation in the Red Sea.
"We hit them hard...then we got out".
That speech has now finished, but we've still got a few more lines to catch you up on, so stick with us.
Donald Trump announces that he's removing sanctions from Syria, in order to give the country "a chance at greatness".
We'll bring you more on this shortly.
On to the war in Ukraine, Trump says "young beautiful souls" are losing their lives.
He says his team have been "working relentlessly to end the bloodshed" and mentions that talks are being held in Turkey later this week "probably on Thursday".
The president doesn't confirm whether he'll attend, despite being invited by Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky.
Again, Trump repeats his long-standing claim that neither the war in Ukraine, or Hamas's 7 October attacks on Israel would have happened if he was president.
He then takes the opportunity to thank Saudi Arabia for facilitating talks on Ukraine.
"If we get that settled we'll pay a special tribute to what you've done", he says.
Image source, ReutersTrump begins criticising Iran, accusing it of trying to tear down the region and funding bloodshed abroad.
But, the president says, he is not here "merely to condemn the past chaos of Iran's leaders", but to offer them a "new path, and a much better path" towards a "more hopeful future".
"I want to make a deal with Iran. If I can make a deal with Iran I will be very happy," Trump says.
He says that if Iran's leadership rejects this "olive branch" and "continues to attack their neighbours then we will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure", and drive Iranian oil exports to zero.
Paul Adams
Diplomatic correspondent
Donald Trump speaks of his fervent hope that Saudi Arabia will join the Abraham Accords, the deals he brokered between Israel and other Gulf countries during his first administration.
Before the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023, Saudi Arabia seemed poised to join.
But that prospect has receded as a result of Israel’s assault on Gaza, with Saudi Arabia saying normalisation with Israel cannot happen unless the war ends and progress is made towards the establishment of the Palestinian state.
Trump did not directly address any of this, saying only that Saudi Arabia would “do it in your own time.”
In a speech peppered by applause, as Trump heaped praise on his hosts - and himself - this passage was met with conspicuous silence.
The US president continues to talk about a variety of topics - ranging from the football World Cup to Saudi Arabia's skyscrapers.
He again spends a while praising Saudi leadership, before observing how "peace" is returning to the Gulf and praising the Abraham Accords, which were signed when he was last in office.
It's his "dream", Trump adds, that Saudi Arabia will become a signatory to the accords too.
The president then attacks his predecessor Joe Biden's administration on his engagement with the accords, and suggests it "spurned" the US's partnership with its Gulf partners.
Addressing the crown prince directly now, Trump says: "I like him a lot", to applause.
"I like him too much, that's why we give so much."
Image source, EPATrump says that eight years ago he stood in the same room and looked forward to a future in which the region would drive the forces of terrorism and extremism "right out of existence".
He compliments the crown prince, telling Mohammed bin Salman: "You have done some job".
Over the past eight years Saudi Arabia has "proved the critics totally wrong", he says.
The US president again mentions the agreement signed with Saudi Arabia, and says the Saudis are purchasing $142bn (£107bn) worth of American-made military equipment.
He then returns to talking about the US, saying "there's no better place to make a future, make a fortune."
Trump says that his administration has just reached two "historic" trade deals - calling both "outstanding".
Firstly, he mentions the deal on tariffs with the United Kingdom. Then, he says the US has reached a "breakthrough agreement" with China.
The president adds that his teams have to "get the little details down", but that China has agreed to "open up" to the US for trade "and everything else".
Trump then moves on to domestic measures, and once again praises the strength of the US economy as he weaves through his record in office so far.
"From the moment we started we've seen wealth that has poured - and is pouring - into America", he suggests.
Image source, EPAThe US president touts his administration's record, to applause from those in the room.
He speaks at some length on this, touching on immigration, recruitment to the US armed forces, and other policy areas.
"We are rocking, the United States is the hottest country - with the exception of your country - I have to say, right?" he says, to big applause.
The temperature has been above 40C at times today in Riyadh.
"Today we take the next steps to make our relationship closer, stronger and more powerful than ever before," Trump says.
The president emphasises: "It is more powerful than ever before."
"And it will remain that way," he adds, saying the US doesn't go "in and out like other people" - it's not clear what he is referencing here.
Image source, EPATrump continues to praise the warmth he has been shown in Saudi Arabia.
He says he has never forgotten the hospitality shown to him by the "great man" King Salman on a visit eight years ago.
Trump adds that this visit marks 80 years of partnership between the two countries, and that the US-Saudi relationship has been a "bedrock of security and prosperity".
Trump takes the stage and stands there as the song God Bless the US plays.
The US president starts by saying that Saudi Arabia is a "great place" and has "great people".
He then thanks the crown prince, describing him as an "incredible man".
Mohammed bin Salman continues, saying that he is confident that Saudi Arabia will "continue to build" with the US, based on the partnership between the two countries.
He says their joint action is not limited to the economy but extends towards bringing about security, stability and peace in the region and the world.