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Watch: Emirati 'flower girl' invites UAE President to her home, recounts chat with Trump
Trump, who came to the country for a state visit to conclude his Gulf tour that also took him to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, was welcomed in the UAE with style
- PUBLISHED: Sat 17 May 2025, 11:52 AM UPDATED: Sat 17 May 2025, 1:45 PM
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.
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 with style with girls performing a Khaleeji dance, traditional drummers and a royal military salute.
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But videos of Mariam Ali Al Kaabi, a 5th-grade student in Al Ittihad National Private School in Abu Dhabi, holding a bouquet of white flowers for Trump, and chatting with Sheikh Mohamed, stood out.
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Overjoyed, proud
In recent interviews, Mariam expressed how the touching encounter with the UAE President made her feel overjoyed and proud.
While they were waiting for Trump to arrive, Sheikh Mohamed could be seen walking up to the young girl and interacting with her. At one point, he was seen putting an arm around her as she smiled and placing a kiss on her forehead.
Mariam recounted what Sheikh Mohamed told her during the brief chat as they were waiting for the high profile UAE guest.
She said: "When I saw Sheikh Mohamed, may God preserve him, I was so happy, I was overjoyed. He received me with hugs."
"He asked for my age, my studies and my grades. I told him I get good grades and I memorise the Quran," she added.
Mariam also spoke of how the president joked with her by asking which one among her siblings gets the best grades? To this question, she answered: "We are all high achievers".
Mariam went on to extend an invitation for the UAE President to visit her home, saying, "this will be a great honour; a joy."
She said: "I would like to thank my father, Sheikh Mohamed, for letting me see the two greatest world leaders."
'You're so beautiful'
In an interview with Dubai Post, Mariam spoke of her chat with Trump after she handed over the flower bouquet to him.
"When I saw President Trump, I told him: Welcome to the UAE Mr President. He told me 'Thank you, you're so beautiful'," she added.
Mariam, who is shown in the videos dressed in traditional Emirati attire, called this day "the best day of my life".
Yasmin Hussein is an Assistant Digital Editor who believes that every news story carries a human element. Her motto is 'get it first, but first get it right'.