ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, and RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Trump visited a mosque on Thursday — his first publicly known visit to a Muslim house of worship during his time in office.

Trump expressed his admiration for the mosque's beauty, saying, "Isn't this beautiful? It is so beautiful. This is an incredible culture." He also marvelled at the fact that the mosque had been closed for the day in his honour.

It was a remarkable gesture for a man whose political career has been marked by intolerance and derision of Muslims, showcasing his willingness to accede to unfamiliar cultural norms to forge potentially lucrative partnerships.