>
Article snippet: RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — There was neither beer, nor tattoos nor women at the biker rally in Saudi Arabia’s capital on Friday night. But among the hundreds of men riding on roaring Harley Davidsons and sporting leather vests, there was overwhelming excitement about the incoming visitor: President Trump. “We want to welcome Trump,” said Mohammed Alrasheed, 35, who had outfitted his motorcycle with a large green Saudi flag next to the Stars and Stripes of America and wore a helmet decorated with quarters, dimes and nickels. “I ride a Harley and Harley is from America, so I use American coins,” he said. Saudi Arabia prepared an enormous reception for Mr. Trump, who landed in the capital, Riyadh, on Saturday morning on the first foreign trip of his presidency. Billboards with his face next to that of King Salman, the Saudi monarch, adorned highways around the capital, miles of which were lined with Saudi and American flags. The Saudis planned such an opulent greeting for Mr. Trump to emphasize the depth of their commitment to the United States and to persuade him to deepen the partnership to fight terrorism, confront Iran and enhance economic ties. Underpinning the countries’ decades-old relationship is power politics: American protection and arms sales in exchange for free-flowing oil and cooperation on security. But often overlooked by outsiders, who mainly know the kingdom for its strict version of Islam, is the American cultural influence that has seeped in over th... Link to the full article to read more