Trump administration had previously announced meetings with the NATO leaders in Brussels and the Group of Seven world economic powers in Sicily. While many former presidents took their first foreign trips to Canada or Mexico, the US neighbours in the North and the South, respectively. The Trump administration added Saudi Arabia, Israel and the Vatican to the trip to unite Judaism, Christianity, and Islam against “intolerance” and radical extremism. So, a nine-day tour begins with the Middle East maiden voyage.
Abraham is the founding father of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. All three share “Yahweh,” “God,” and “Allah” via their scriptures as well as the common holy city of Jerusalem. But the “family feud” remains in the centre of the global politics.
Saudi Arabia
Trump’s first planned trip was to a kingdom which is known to privately fund the terrorists, including a majority of the 9/11 ones. After landing in Riyadh with extravagant royal pomp, President Donald Trump closed a $110 billion weapons deal with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud on the first day of his tour. Multiple agreements between Saudi and Americans were signed as well. $100 million for Ivanka’s favourite charity?
In front of 55 Muslim-majority nations, Trump spoke on how the United States (US) is not at war with Islam:
This is not a battle between different faiths, different sects or different civilisations. This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life and decent people, all in the name of religion, people that want to protect life and want to protect their religion. This is a battle between good and evil.
Notice Trump’s favourite phrase “radical Islamic terrorism” is missing because he is pandering to a strain of Muslim leaders.
The US National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster commented: “The entire trip is about human rights, about all civilised people coming together to fight the hatred.” The US Secretary of Commence Wilbur Ross added: “There was not a single hint of a protestor anywhere there during the whole time we were there.” Yes, because in Saudi Arabia they cut off hands and heads!
In Saudi Arabia, Trump spoke to a large assembly of Sunni leaders where he demonised Iran, effectively widening the Shia-Sunni confrontation. They loved it because they consider Tehran to be a religious and political challenge to their status. It is actually Saudi Arabia’s Wahhabism that foments the unrest of Islamic extremism, Islamic State, and civil war in Yemen. The gathered Sunni leaders were autocratic with no democratic pretence while Iran actually was holding elections. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi complimented Trump on his “unique personality that is capable of doing the impossible.” In exchange, Trump praised el-Sisi’s shoes.
Persian Gulf Sunni allies praised Trump because he didn’t bring up human rights violations. War mongering dictatorship money always trumps humanity.
What did Trump mean that we are not here to lecture anyone? Essentially, that was to cease commitment to human rights and democracy. Immediately, Bahrain cracked down dissidents that killed five and arrested hundreds.
It was ironic that Trump glowed as he placed his hands on an illuminated orb alongside Saudi King and Egyptian dictator at the Global Centre for Combating Extremist Ideology in Saudi Arabia. A lampoon of Lord of the Rings farce?
Israel & Palestine
After landing in Tel Aviv, Trump went to Jerusalem. As the first sitting US President at the Western Wall (Judaism’s holiest prayer site), Trump stayed for a moment of silence before placing a note between the wall’s stones, touched the wall with a yarmulke on his head. He also visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Then, he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. Netanyahu praised Trump for “taking such a strong stand for Israel and the Jewish people.” And then, Trump volunteered to reporters that he had never uttered the country’s name as the source of intelligence he shared with Russian officials Lavrov and Kislyakat at the Oval Office in the White House.
A day later, Trump travelled to the West Bank to visit Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem. No intention or policy announcements were shared to please Israel or anger Palestinians. Trump just shared the rhetoric of hope for making peace between Israel and its Arab neighbours: “I’ve heard it’s one of the toughest deals in the world. But I’m sure we’re going to get there eventually.”
Trump also visited Israel’s Holocaust memorial to lay a wreath at YadVashem; he spoke at Israel Museum before leaving for Rome.
Trump stayed at the King David Hotel, but another hotel invited him with the sign on its top: “We are not Trump Tower, but you will feel at home. Eldan Hotel.” As soon as Air Force One took off, Israelis went about celebrating the 50th anniversary of their 1967 victory. Burden, Soul-searching?
Not saying egregiously stupid things is the new standard for judging Trump’s competence now!
The Vatican
At the Vatican, Trump grinned alongside his black-clad Catholic wife and daughter. Pope Francis and President Trump talked for 30 minutes in the Pope’s private study. After exchanging gifts, the President and the Frist Lady toured the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Did Trump see the ceiling where the first scene is “The Separation of Light and Darkness?”
Pope asked Melania “What are you feeding him, potica?” referring to a popular Slovenian cake. She quizzically replied “Pizza?” and smiled before saying “yes.”
While meeting Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Trump remarked: “He is something. We had a fantastic meeting. We’re liking Italy very, very much and it was an honour to be with Pope.”
Belgium
Trump then flew to Brussel to meet King Philippe of Belgium and Prime Minister Charles Michel.
Outside of the Abrahamic family officials, in Brussels and Sicily Trump’s counterparts were united against him on NATO mutual defence clause and Paris climate deal. Trump met the European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Trump tightly gripped the French President Emmanuel Macron with whom he had a working lunch.
“America First” approach was on full display at NATO. While refusing to reaffirm US support for the NATO’s principle of mutual defence and failing to address European concern over Russia, Trump asserted only on the budget. “This is not fair to the people and taxpayers of the United States” and “And many of these nations owe massive amounts of money” were comments straight out of his election campaign.
Actually, three years ago NATO members committed to 2% minimum GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to defence spending and are on target. The shortfall doesn’t come from US budget. Interestingly, in Riyadh Trump said not to lecture, but he lectured in Europe. Swedish Prime Minister commented, “European leaders take the core functions of NATO seriously. Perhaps more seriously than Trump does.”
Trump pushed past the Montenegro Prime Minister DuskoMarkovic to the front as leaders prepared to pose for a photo in Brussels. A US State Department official remarked: “When it comes to diplomacy, President Trump is a drunk tourist.”
Italy
At a resort town of Taormina on the island of Sicily, six (Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan) of the seven leaders affirmed their “commitment and our determination” to the 2015 Paris accord on climate change, the United States committed to “a period of reflection.” Trump’s views are very clear when he speaks to the US audience: bolster American fossil fuels, especially coal. If the US withdraws from the Paris climate deal, it will be the first to do so among the 195 nations. A top aide to Trump said he is “evolving.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel looked away while standing next to downward looking Trump who had called the Germans “bad, very bad.” EU Council President Donald Tusk called the gathering “the most difficult G7 summit.”
In the evening, Trump and his wife attended a concert of the La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra. Trump kept frowning in the ancient Greek theatre. Verdi and La Scala complicated relationship was too much?
In a campaign-style rally in a hangar at American Naval Air Station Signoella, Trump ended his trip in Sicily with, “I think we hit a home run” and “we concluded a truly historic week.” Stuart Heritage in The Guardian (28 May 2017) hilariously depicts “the Russians have paid him to create a bonk-headed one-man library of gifs designed to denigrate all travelling Americans”:
With every breath of his trip, Trump has managed to carve out an image of a terrified old man several leagues out of his depth. He goes to Saudi Arabia and ends up palming a glowing orb like a bewildered ITV daytime game show contestant. He goes to Italy and ends up experiencing a papal visit so excoriating that it came off like the pilot of an unmade sitcom entitled The Pope and The Dope. He goes to Belgium and barges Montenegro’s president out of the way so brazenly that the only logical explanation is that he somehow mistook the occasion for a beauty queen molestation contest with a prize of unlimited ketchup-drenched steaks. Best of all, whenever he attempts to lurch into any sort of publicly affectionate display of his own wife she furiously bats his hands away as if they were made of bees. If you can magically bring yourself to forget that you’re watching the most powerful man in the world, it was been terrific.
Not a Pilgrim
Trump never held a press conference to field questions from the reporters. Before he left for the trip, Trump’s White House was facing many scandals: Russian interference between his campaign and the Kremlin, firing of acting Attorney General Sally Yates, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, and the FBI director James Comey. When he returned back to the White House, another one was brewing: his son-in-law Kushner in discussions with Russia’s ambassador establishing a back channel line of communication between the Trump transition team and Moscow.
What was the White House thinking? Trump will bring Jews, Christians and Muslims together by visiting Jerusalem, Riyadh, and Vatican? Three sons of Abraham have their work cut out! They need to learn to talk to each other and the rest of the human family. President Trump’s “pilgrimage” wasn’t the one to bring home the message of love for he thrives on hate.
I wonder what will transpire at the Group of 20 summit in July in Hamburg where Trump will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. And later in November, when Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte hosts Trump for an economic and security summit. The trend is clear: Trump loves “strong-men” not pious-religious or Eurocentric-seculars.
Harinder Singh is an educator, thinker, author, public speaker and activist who tweets @1Force. He currently serves as the Senior Fellow, Research & Policy, at the Sikh Research Institute. He served on the boards of the National Conference on Community and Justice, The Fellowship of Activists to Embrace Humanity, The Nanakshahi Trust, among others. He regularly appears on radio and television programs globally.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not reflect SBS's position in any way.
