Arab citizens not upbeat about Trump's trip

US television network, Bloomberg says US President Donald Trump’s two-day effort to recast his administration’s ties with the Muslim world sounded starkly different in homes across the Middle East, “where there’s deep distrust of U.S. intentions and entrenched cynicism over autocratic local leaders who often fail to deliver on heady promises.”

“I’m really puzzled by the way Arab leaders are reacting to Trump,” it quoted  Hussain Al-Qatari, who works in public relations in Kuwait.

“He’s directly responsible for anti-Muslim, anti-Arab sentiments in the U.S. and yet received such a warm welcome from the leaders of Arab countries,” the 31-year-old said.

While he “seemed conciliatory, I don’t think much will change with Trump’s era -- except for the worse.”

Bloomberg said Trump’s overall tone was familiar to Sara Nour, 32, an office manager in Cairo. “He was actually sweet-talking us,” she said. “It felt like an Arabic speech given by an Arab leader. It’s clear from Trump’s words that he realizes that a boiling Middle East is not good, and that the U.S. isn’t far away.”

According to Bloomberg, a survey of 3,500 young Arabs across 16 countries found that 83 percent had an unfavorable view of Trump. An overwhelming majority said they believed the president is “anti-Muslim”, according to the findings released by ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller in May.

Hamad Al-Rowaitea, a telecom engineer in Saudi Arabia, was one who saw in Trump’s words a way forward: “I wasn’t expecting his speech, which showed that he saw Saudi as an ally in the fight against terror, rather than just blaming us and our societies.”