US President Donald Trump received a striking welcome in Qatar on Wednesday as a pair of Tesla Cybertrucks led his motorcade through the capital city. The vehicles had a distinctive red-painted hood and were part of an elaborate show of pageantry during Trump’s visit to the Gulf nation.Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted the grand clip on his X account.The high-profile trip was aimed at strengthening business ties in the region and marked Trump’s second stop in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia.Like the Saudis, Qatari officials went all out, sending F-15 fighter jets to escort Trump’s Air Force One into their airspace, a rare ceremonial gesture.Trump’s arrival in Doha followed a similar extravagant welcome in Riyadh, where Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman drove him to a state dinner in a golf cart, a fun nod to Trump’s love for the sport. His motorcade in Saudi Arabia was also accompanied by riders on white Arabian horses.Qatar went further by offering Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8, suggesting it could be used as Air Force One while new US presidential jets are being built. Trump defended the offer as a smart financial move, but critics have raised concerns, calling it “naked corruption” and warning it could be a “national security threat” because it comes from a foreign government.As the region continued to impress the president, press access stayed limited. In Saudi Arabia, reporters were kept far away with strict rules not to shout questions. The same control was seen in Qatar.Trump’s tour moves on to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, his final stop.
