What You Need to Know About President Trump's First International Trip

President Donald Trump left Washington D.C. today on a nine-day trip through the Middle East and Europe to meet with U.S. allies, his first international trip as president. There’s a lot on his agenda, so we’ve broken it down for you below:

May 20-21: Saudi Arabia

The first day of Trumps visit to Saudi Arabia will be focused on a summit with Saudi King Salman, in which they’re expected to announce a $110 billion arms deal between the two nations that’s aimed at making the Saudi military a stronger counterbalance to Iran. The pair will also discuss other regional security challenges like the conflict in Syria, and the Saudi campaign against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen.

Day two of Trump’s time in Saudi Arabia will be dominated by a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the Saudis and five other countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The day will also feature a luncheon with leaders from over 50 Muslim-majority countries (Iran and Syria excluded) that are being courted for a Saudi-led counterterrorism alliance. According to Politico, Trump will deliver a speech about radical ideology and Islam.

May 22-23: Israel and the West Bank

Trump’s first day in Israel will be a busy one, with a trip to Jerusalem alongside Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to visit the World Holocaust Remembrance Center at Yad Vashem, a speech on the U.S.-Israel alliance at the Israel Museum on the schedule. He’ll wrap up the day in private meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which could be tense amid reports that Trump disclosed intelligence obtained through Israeli sources in a meeting with Russian officials.

Day two will bring a visit to Bethlehem in the Palestinian-controlled West Bank to meet with President Mahmoud Abbas (who recently visited Trump in Washington). The pair are expected to discuss next steps in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Trump is expected to become the first sitting U.S. president to visit the Western Wall, where he will say a prayer, before visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

May 24: Vatican City

Continuing the trip’s trend of visiting places with significance to the world’s major religions, Trump will head to Vatican City in Rome where he will meet with Pope Francis, where the two will try to find common ground on policies like immigration. The Pope had called Trump’s plan to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border "not Christian" during the 2016 presidential campaign, which prompted pushback from Trump who said the Pope had unfairly questioned his faith.

While in Rome, Trump will get a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica and meet with Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

May 25: Brussels

Trump’s day in Brussels will be a busy one that begins in meetings with Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, in addition to Prime Minister Charles Michel. He’ll then stop by European Union headquarters to meet with E.U. and European Council presidents before holding a working lunch with newly-elected French President Emmanuel Macron.

Trump will then attend the unveiling of the NATO memorial, which will contain a piece of the Berlin Wall and part of the World Trade Center. Afterwards he’ll be joined by Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis at a NATO meeting and dinner.

May 26-27: Sicily

Trump returns to Italy for the final stop on his trip for the Group of 7 (G7) meetings in the Sicilian town of Taormina, which he will use as an opportunity to "press America’s economic agenda and call for greater security cooperation" according to National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster. He’ll also attend a dinner hosted by the Italian president, and a performance of the La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra.

Before leaving Italy to return to Washington D.C., Trump will speak to U.S. military personnel at Sigonella Naval Air Station.

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— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: MSgt. Phil Speck - USAF / Public Domain)