Donald Trump received a warm welcome in Saudi Arabia, where he described the kingdom’s de facto leader, Muhammad bin Salman, as an “incredible man”. In a speech emphasising his break from American foreign-policy orthodoxy, Mr Trump said that the “gleaming marvels” of Riyadh and other cities in the Gulf region were not created by “nation-builders, neocons or liberal non-profits” but by Arab regimes that embraced their “national traditions” and heritage. He also pleased his hosts by announcing that America would lift sanctions on Syria. Mr Trump briefly met Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria’s president, and urged him to reconcile with Israel. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates were also on Mr Trump’s itinerary.