Donald Trump’s whistle stop tour of the Middle East has generated many headlines, but nothing has caught people’s imagination more than a bizarre image of the US president with his hands on a glowing orb.
![US President Donald Trump, US First Lady Melania Trump and King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia opening the World Center for Countering Extremist Thought in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photograph: EPA/Saudi Press Agency](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MZWUM76MGOHLKLHWI43IWPGDV4.jpg?auth=98eae3a9258346f5113296d04d43ae915e6a30876a087b479c0bb6dba1ee945f&width=800&height=450)
On Sunday, Donald Trump was in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to help launch the Global Centre for Combating Extremist Ideology. To officially activate the centre, Mr Trump, King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Egyptian president Abdel Fatah al-Sisi all placed their hands on a glowing globe.
![US President Donald Trump’s advisor Jared Kushner, President Trump’s assistant Ivanka Trump, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, US President Donald Trump, King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia, US First Lady Melania Trump and other delegates pose for a group photo at the opening of the World Center for Countering Extremist Thought in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photograph: EPA/Saudi Press Agency](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FOOCNA5WSUD4EWJK54J67EIVPY.jpg?auth=8405e2c838d203732eca81f26c3986fc447b1fd2c6f4f80f42308eaf8bd48cea&width=800&height=450)
![US President Donald Trump, US First lady Melania Trump, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi pose for a group photo during the inauguration of the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology in Riyadh. Photograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/WQUY6QKWDHGVZIDWJB7V6J5UIY.jpg?auth=4850b44547e240b6e75488b78650628ca4367e2c33ab303d1be336090ee21020&width=800&height=450)
Trump During the Campaign: "I will NEVER touch The Orb, even though its mysterious glow seduces and beguiles."
— Nick Greene (@NickGreene) May 21, 2017
Trump Today: pic.twitter.com/eWoaDeXj8n
Wow, Trump just hasn't been the same since he touched that orb pic.twitter.com/qWLNNVk6Cp
— Pixelated Boat (@pixelatedboat) May 21, 2017
Child: do you remember when Trump touched the Orb?
— Gödel, Escher, Baka (@jephjacques) May 21, 2017
Me: Yes. None of us realized what it would-
Orb Police: HAIL ORB
Me & child: hail orb
"find...the...hobbit..." pic.twitter.com/8saqDbl5Nh
— darth:™ (@darth) May 21, 2017
tfw you and your friends unearth an ancient alien hell orb and combine your powers inside it to stop superman >>>>> pic.twitter.com/kzsYEKC4R0
— jon hendren (@fart) May 21, 2017
A lot of people say the Orb is evil. Stupid! I will negotiate with the Orb, make it work for us. Good deal for everyone!!! Hail the Orb. pic.twitter.com/vmN12iTulB
— Matt Roller (@rolldiggity) May 21, 2017
The imagery and symbolism of this was not lost on Twitter.
Have you got a better caption for this image? Share it with us in the comments below.