In Riyadh, Trump Calls For Unity In The Fight Against Terrorism

In front of the representatives of fifty Muslim countries, the American president presented this Sunday, May 21 with a message of "friendship, hope, and love ". But he urged Muslim countries to offer no " refuge to terrorists ". A speech that was highly anticipated, especially since Donald Trump has not shown moderation nor nuance by speaking about Islam in the past.


Neither slippage nor thunderous declarations: as expected, Donald Trump carefully avoided making a direct connection between the Muslim religion and terrorism. The American president has also carefully avoided the vehement tone of these past statements about Islam.

"I stand before you as a representative of the American people as a message with a message of friendship, hope, and love  ", he started to fifty representatives of the Arab-Muslim world. "  It is for this reason that I chose to make my first visit abroad to the heart of the Muslim world, to the nation that remains a protector of the two most holy sites of the Islamic faith, He specifies.

"Overcoming evil"

Donald Trump invited the leaders of the Arab world to fight together against "  Islamist extremism "This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to eradicate human life and people of all denominations who seek to protect it," he said.

Inviting the Arab countries to rely primarily on themselves, he said that " the nations of the Middle East can not wait until the American power crushes this enemy in their place. We are not here to give lessons, we are not here to tell people how they should live, what they should do, who they should be or how to pray ."  " We can only conquer this evil if the forces of good are united and strong," said Trump.

Charge against Iran

Donald Trump also spoke about Iran during this speech and there is no question of a hand held out and a message of peace: the US president accused Iran of financing terrorism and destabilizing the region. "  From Lebanon to Iraq via Yemen, Iran finances, arms and draws terrorists, militias and other terrorist groups that spread destruction and chaos across the region," Donald Trump said in a statement. his speech.

"Until the Iranian regime shows its willingness to be a partner for peace, all nations ... must work together to isolate it," he added, accusing the Islamic Republic of "  The fires of confessional conflict and terrorism  ". King Salman, who hosted the summit, had to appreciate. Saudi Arabia considers Tehran as its most dangerous enemy.

A speech well received by the Arab leaders

"We have gone from the concept of the conflict of civilizations to that of the cooperation of cultures,  " said a number of Arab officials. The most conquered by the American discourse are the Saudis and their allies of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Donald Trump's attacks on the Iranian regime were a blessing for the Gulf countries, who regarded Tehran as "  the great enemy  ." Countries that did not appreciate the rapprochement between Washington and Tehran in the days of President Obama, reminds our correspondent in Cairo, Alexander Buccianti.

Arab leaders hailed a speech that they believe denies accusations that Muslim countries support Islamic extremism. But Arab-Muslim divergences remain: not everyone appreciated that Palestinian Hamas is described as a terrorist organization by Donald Trump, while Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi accused Turkey of supporting Turkey terrorism.