SPEECH CAPS ARAB ISLAMIC AMERICAN SUMMIT
by Sharon Rondeau
(May 21, 2017) — On Sunday at 9:15 AM EDT/4:15 p.m. Riyadh time, President Donald Trump will be giving what is considered a “major” speech to the Muslim world from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he was received with great fanfare on Saturday.
The president and many members of his staff and cabinet accompanied him on what will be and eight-day trip through the Middle East to include Israel, then the Vatican and the G7 Summit in Sicily.
On Saturday, Trump and King Salman signed an agreement by which Saudi Arabia will purchase $110 billion worth of defense equipment from the United States.
During brief remarks aired on Sunday morning, Trump stressed that the agreement would bring “jobs, jobs, jobs” to American workers.
As this article goes to press, the president is meeting with leaders of Middle Eastern countries who traveled to hear the speech in person. Fox News reported that as many as 50 are expected to attend.
Some media pundits are speculating that the speech will not resemble Obama’s “apology tour” address given in April 2009 at Cairo University wherein Obama reportedly invited members of the Muslim Brotherhood to attend and faulted the United States for some of its history.
Those with previews of the speech say that the president will use the word “Islamist” to describe terrorists rather than the term “radical Islamic terror.” He will also reportedly condemn the murder of people of all religions by terrorism.
The substance of the speech has been largely withheld until the president himself gives it.
The address follows a luncheon at which Trump was designated the “guest of honor.”
Update: At 9:21 a.m. EDT, Fox News reported that the speech will now begin at 10:00 a.m. EDT.