President Donald Trump Visits Historic Grand Mosque in UAE with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed

President Donald Trump Visits Historic Grand Mosque in UAE with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed

On Thursday evening, as his first official engagement after arriving in Abu Dhabi, U.S. President Donald Trump visited the historic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

President Trump toured the mosque with Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed. Accompanying the visit as guides were Yousif Al Obaidli, Director of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and Amina Al Hammadi, Acting Director of the Department of Culture and Knowledge.

Inaugurated in 2007, this iconic mosque is located at a key junction linking the mainland with Abu Dhabi city. Its architectural design reflects the geographical position of the United Arab Emirates—where East meets West.

The mosque features a fusion of Islamic architectural styles, including Moorish arches, Mughal domes, Persian-inspired courtyards, and Ottoman minarets—symbolizing a diverse heritage of the Islamic world.

Materials used in the construction were sourced from various countries including Italy, Germany, Morocco, Macedonia, India, Turkey, China, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Greece, and the UAE itself.

Though a major cultural and tourist attraction, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is primarily a fully functioning place of worship. It hosts the five daily prayers, along with Friday congregational prayers and central religious events during Ramadan and Eid.

Each year, over five million visitors come to the mosque, including around 2.2 million worshippers. While the mosque can accommodate 40,000 people, this year on the 27th night of Ramadan, a record 72,533 worshippers attended.

In 2024, the mosque welcomed a total of 6.58 million visitors, with approximately 617,000 attending during Ramadan and Eid alone.

Upon President Trump’s arrival in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, he was welcomed by UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. At the presidential airport, he was received by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, and Abu Dhabi’s Deputy Ruler and National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed.

Other dignitaries present included Presidential Advisor Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad, Chairman of Strategic Affairs at the President’s Office Dr. Ahmed Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority Khaldoon Al Mubarak, UAE Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba, and several other top officials.