Trump takes off for historic Mideast trip after string of foreign policy successes

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Trump took a victory lap at the White House Monday before jetting off on a three-country tour of the Middle East, where he’s expected to try to drum up more investment in the US.Trump claimed credit for averting a nuclear war in the Indian subcontinent, forcing Ukraine and Russia into peace talks, brokering a trade breakthrough with China and winning the release of the last US citizen held hostage by Hamas.“Now I’m going to depart on a historic visit,” Trump told reporters of his visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Untied Arab Emirates this week.A news-packed weekend began early Saturday, with the president announcing the US had helped India and Pakistan negotiate a cease-fire following four days of fighting precipitated by an April 22 Islamic terror attack that killed 26 at a resort in India-controlled Kashmir.“We stopped a nuclear conflict,” Trump told reporters ahead of signing an order aimed at lowering US drug prices.“It could have been a bad nuclear war.

Millions of people could have been killed.So I’m very proud of that.”Also Saturday, Trump’s administration held trade talks for the first time with China in Switzerland, with both parties agreeing to lower their tariff rates by 115% for 90 days as they work out a permanent agreement — easing market worries after Trump’s prior 145% rate brought shipping almost to a complete halt.Trump said China had agreed to fundamental trade reforms that will take time to formalize.“They’ve agreed to open China — fully open China,” the president claimed.

“It’s going to take a while to paper it … And I think it’s going to be fantastic for China.I think it’s going to be fantastic for us.

And I think it’s going to be great for unification and peace.”Trump said Beijing also “agreed that they’re going to stop” exporting fentanyl, which has killed nearly 300,000 Americans over the past four years — adding, “They’ll be rewarded by not having...