Donald Trump tells Muslim leaders to 'drive out' terrorists in 'fight between good and evil' during first trip abroad as president

Donald Trump has urged Middle Eastern nations to help “drive out” terrorists in a major speech during his first trip abroad as president.

The US leader and wife Melania travelled to Saudi Arabia for a two-day visit designed to build stronger relations with the region and work together on combatting terrorism.

During a speech to the leaders of more than 50 Muslim countries, President Trump cast the fight against terrorism as a “battle between good and evil” rather than between the West and Islam.

He said: “This is not a battle between different faiths, different sects or different civilizations.

“This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people of all religions who seek to protect it.

“This is a battle between good and evil."

The major speech – made during an Arab-Islamic-American summit in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia – came after President Trump had met the nation’s king and joined officials in a traditional sword dance.

Commentators noted the speech shied away from the rhetoric previously seen on his campaign trail and did not use the term “radical Islam”.

It also saw the President pile on praise for Muslim history and culture, calling Islam “one of the world’s great faiths” - a departure from January’s executive order which saw him ban immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries.

The US President also told leaders that Muslim countries in the region share the responsibility for stopping terrorism and said: “Every nation has an absolute duty to ensure that terrorists find no quarter on their soil."

He added: “Drive them out. Drive them out of your places of worship, drive them out of your holy land. Drive them out of this earth."

President Trump slammed Iran for spreading “destruction and chaos” through the region.

He also added that more than 95 per cent of the victims of the terrorist attacks are Muslims and are “innocent people of the Arab, Muslim and Middle Eastern nations”.