Washington – US President Donald Trump left Washington Friday on his first international trip, leaving behind a burgeoning scandal at home about his handling of an investigation into his campaign’s dealings with Russia.
Trump is scheduled to travel some 25,130 kilometres with the goals of reasserting US leadership, building relationships with key leaders and affirming unity among three of the world’s major religions.
He has stops planned in Saudi Arabia, Israel, the Vatican, Belgium and Italy. The trip includes meetings of NATO leaders in Brussels and the Group of Seven (G7) in Sicily.
Donald Trump – file picture…
Increased burden sharing will be a major theme of the trip, both at NATO and in the Middle East, where Trump is to push for a NATO-like structure for the region, US officials said.
“There shouldn’t be the expectation that the US is always going to be able to deal with problems,” a White House official told reporters ahead of the trip.
Trump’s first international foray brings the challenge of demonstrating US leadership even as much of his foreign policy team has yet to be named, and the administration works out its positions on key issues, including a strategy to fight the Islamic State movement and a decision of whether to remain in the Paris climate agreement.
In Saudi Arabia, Trump is expected to announce an arms deal with the kingdom, meet with King Salman, hold talks with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council and speak to more than 50 Muslim leaders calling for them to fight extremism.
Administration officials said Trump wants to use the meeting to forge a “strong, unified counter” to Iranian influence in the region.
In Israel, Trump is set to hold talks with President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and to visit the Palestinian Authority to meet with President Mahmoud Abbas.
Trump is to be the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall and will speak at the Israel Museum.
Both sides in the Middle East conflict will be looking for signals from Trump on restarting the peace process, after he indicated a willingness to serve as mediator while hosting Abbas in early May.
Two key questions linger. Will Trump will voice support for a two-state solution? And will he take steps toward his promise of moving the US embassy to Jerusalem?
Trump is scheduled to have an audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican and meet with Italian leaders in Rome before flying to Brussels for the NATO meeting and Sicily for the G7.
Trump could consider withdrawing from NATO if the Atlantic alliance does not spread financial and military burdens more fairly, one senior White House official said.
“He’s at a place now, he would like to stay in NATO,” said the official, who briefed foreign reporters on the condition of anonymity. “But he also is not going to stay in NATO if NATO doesn’t make a lot more progress, much quicker.”
First lady Melania Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are part of the entourage accompanying Trump.
– dpa
