Trump's Qatar trip is off to a flying start as Air Force One gets another fighter jet escort

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — President 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 U.S. 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 favor by taking a picture of Air Force One.

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