Doha: President Donald Trump’s trip to Qatar is off to a flying start.
Like Saudi Arabia a day earlier, Qatar didn’t bother waiting for Trump to land before setting out to impress him with a fighter jet escort.
As Trump flew in to Riyadh on Tuesday and then in to Doha on Wednesday as part of his four-day Middle East trip, he received ceremonial escorts from each country’s F-15 fighter jets, exceptionally rare sights.
A White House official, Margo Martin, posted videos of the escorts online.
“Saudi F-15’s providing honorary escort for Air Force One!” she wrote on Tuesday. The Royal Saudi Air Force has the world’s largest fleet of American-made F-15s after the US Air Force.
Then on Wednesday, Martin posted: “what a view flying into Qatar!!!” She even captured one of the Qatari aviators, sitting in the F-15’s backseat, returning the favour by taking a picture of Air Force One.
