ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Jill Biden, the First Lady of the United States, embarked on a tour of Abu Dhabi on Thursday as part of her final solo international trip.
Biden, 73, arrived in the UAE capital the previous evening after visiting Italy and her family’s ancestral home in Gesso, Sicily. The United Arab Emirates, which consists of seven sheikhdoms and is governed autocratically, is an essential ally of the U.S. in the Middle East. It also accommodates thousands of American military personnel, and Dubai’s Jebel Ali port serves as the busiest U.S. Navy base outside American soil.
Moreover, the UAE is a significant purchaser of Boeing aircraft for its major airlines, Emirates and Etihad, and has been actively seeking U.S. backing for its initiatives in artificial intelligence.
During her visit on Thursday, Biden toured the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and Qasr Al Hosn, a cultural landmark. She was anticipated to deliver a speech at a summit later that day.
This isn’t Biden’s first visit to the UAE; she traveled to the nation in March 2016 with her husband, who was then the vice president during President Obama’s administration.
This visit follows President Joe Biden’s recent decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, for federal offenses, a reversal of his earlier commitment not to do so. During a trip to Angola, the President sidestepped inquiries regarding this pardon.
On her part, Jill Biden expressed her support for the pardon earlier this week, stating, “Of course I support the pardon of my son.”
Following her time in the UAE, Biden is scheduled to visit Qatar, and afterward, she will proceed to Paris to join President-elect Donald Trump and other dignitaries to celebrate the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. Following these events, she will return to Washington.