Facebook Pixel Emirati 'flower girl' recounts chat with Mohamed, Trump | Khaleej Times - newspaper - Read this story on Magzter.com
Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD

Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD

Get unlimited access to 10,000+ magazines, newspapers and Premium stories for just

$149.99
 
$74.99/Year

Try GOLD - Free

Emirati 'flower girl' recounts chat with Mohamed, Trump

Khaleej Times

|

May 19, 2025

Have you heard of the Emirati flower girl? Probably, you have seen clips that went viral online, showing fatherly moments of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan with her, while waiting to welcome US President Donald Trump to the country.

- Yasmin Hussein yasminabdel@khaleejtimes.com

Emirati 'flower girl' recounts chat with Mohamed, Trump

Trump, who came to the UAE for a state visit to conclude a Gulf tour that also took him to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, was welcomed in Abu Dhabi in style with girls performing a Khaleeji dance, traditional drummers and a royal military salute.

But videos of Mariam Ali Al Kaabi, a 5th-grade student of Al Ittihad National Private School in Abu Dhabi, holding a bouquet of white flowers for Trump, and chatting with Sheikh Mohamed, stood out.

In recent interviews, Mariam expressed how the touching encounter with the UAE President made her feel overjoyed and proud.

MORE STORIES FROM Khaleej Times

Khaleej Times

Khaleej Times

Gunman killed by US Secret Service after opening fire near White House

A gunman opened fire near the White House on Saturday evening, with US Secret Service agents killing the assailant in a shoot-out during which a bystander was also struck, authorities said.

time to read

1 mins

May 25, 2026

Khaleej Times

Turkish riot police enter opposition headquarters to evict ousted leaders

Turkish riot police fired tear gas and forced their way into the main opposition party’s headquarters to evict its ousted leadership on Sunday, a Reuters witness said, further inflaming a political crisis.

time to read

1 min

May 25, 2026

Khaleej Times

Khaleej Times

New system to speed up cargo checks with pre-departure data

Dubai Customs is developing a new Advanced Cargo Information (ACI) system that will provide shipment details before goods leave their country of origin, enabling customs teams to analyse cargo faster, classify risks more accurately, and determine inspection requirements more efficiently, a senior official said.

time to read

1 mins

May 25, 2026

Khaleej Times

Svitolina writes to daughter why Monfils mattered more than trophies

In an emotional letter to her daughter, Skai, Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina wrote how her father, Frenchman Gael Monfils, achieved far more than most athletes can ever dream of.

time to read

3 mins

May 25, 2026

Khaleej Times

Khaleej Times

RAK private schools to roll out scheme to help kids read Arabic

A new independent evaluation in Ras Al Khaimah has found that an early Arabic literacy programme known as IQRA has helped young learners achieve reading gains equivalent to an additional 25% of a school year.

time to read

2 mins

May 25, 2026

Khaleej Times

Khaleej Times

Emily in Paris set to conclude with sixth season

Emily in Paris is to conclude with Season 6, which is also set to be the season’s last.

time to read

1 min

May 25, 2026

Khaleej Times

Khaleej Times

21 missing in Philippines after 9-storey underconstruction building crashes

At least one person was confirmed dead after a building under construction collapsed in the Philippines on Sunday, authorities said, as rescuers scoured the rubble for 21 people listed as missing.

time to read

2 mins

May 25, 2026

Khaleej Times

Khaleej Times

Move-out costs: Should tenants pay for cleaning, repainting?

KT reader wants to know whether her/his landlord can charge her/him for cleaning, pest control treatment and painting costs upon moving out

time to read

2 mins

May 25, 2026

Khaleej Times

Dubai Police announce remote inmate visits during Eid

Dubai Police announced the schedule for remote inmate visits during the Eid Al Adha holiday, allowing inmates to connect with their families inside and outside the UAE through video calls.

time to read

1 min

May 25, 2026

Khaleej Times

Dubai’s flame trees lower ground temperatures by up to 5°C

Sheena Khan, head of Environmental Programmes at Terra, Expo City Dubai, said the flame tree has woven itself into the city’s local rhythm over decades.

time to read

1 min

May 25, 2026

Listen

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size