Trump vows to meet 'history's great test' by conquering extremism

Donald Trump has staked a claim as a figure who can mobilise the Muslim world against extremism, using his much anticipated speech on Islam as a rallying call for global cooperation rooted in reform, trade and faith.

Speaking in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in front of leaders from more than 40 Muslim nations, the US president vowed to meet “history’s great test” by conquering extremism with the help of countries who have suffered most from it. In a marked divergence from strident anti-Islamic rhetoric that characterised his campaign, he instead pledged not to “lecture” or “tell other people how to live … or how to worship”.

The address was the most significant in Trump’s five embattled months in office, establishing him as an ambitious leader, prepared to revamp views and policies in order to win trust or secure a global peace that has eluded all other administrations in the era of global jihad.

Trump pointedly equated acts carried out by Iran with those carried out by Islamic State and al-Qaida – a further rebuff of Barack Obama whose legacy in the region was a pivot away from a longstanding alliance with Saudi Arabia towards a pact with Tehran.

Invoking religious references throughout his 40-minute address, Trump urged Muslim countries to take the lead in the fight – a message that his predecessor had also seen as central to US policy. His choice to make Riyadh his first call on a debut overseas trip was another clear departure from Obama, whose address in Cairo in January 2009 – which had also aimed to reset US relations with the Muslim world – was without the same reach, ritz or overarching ambition.

“This gathering is unique in the history of nations,” Trump said, speaking alongside the Saudi monarch, King Salman. “The nations of the Middle East cannot wait for American power to crush this evil for you. Muslim nations must be willing to take on the burden if we are going to defeat terrorism, to meet history’s great test and conquer extremism. Young Muslim boys and girls should be able to grow up safe from fear and free from violence. Will we be indifferent in the presence of evil?”

Trump framed the US posture towards the region as one of “principled realism, rooted in common values and shared interests. We will make decisions based on real-world outcomes – not inflexible ideology. We will be guided by the lessons of experience, not the confines of rigid thinking. And, wherever possible, we will seek gradual reforms – not sudden intervention.”

This was a nod to a widespread economic and cultural reform programme that Saudi Arabia is implementing, which aims to overhaul a sclerotic public sector, create opportunities for a disenfranchised youth, empower women and open up to the world.

Trump’s address won immediate plaudits from leaders in the room, particularly his acknowledgment that Arab Muslim nations had borne the brunt of the killing in the age of Islamic extremism.

“Terrorism has spread across the world. But the path to peace begins right here, on this ancient soil, in this sacred land. America is prepared to stand with you – in pursuit of shared interests and common security.

“But the nations of the Middle East cannot wait for American power to crush this enemy for them. The nations of the Middle East will have to decide what kind of future they want for themselves, for their countries, and for their children.”