Trump Calls for Muslim Unity in Fight Against Terrorism

President Donald Trump has called for Muslim unity in the fight against terrorism, in an address Sunday in Riyadh to dozens of Arab and Muslim leaders at a regional summit focusing on combating extremism.

Trump, in his first overseas trip as president, said the U.S. wants a coalition of nations "who share the aim of stamping out extremism," describing the fight as "a battle between good and evil.

"This is not a battle between different faiths, different sects, or different civilizations," Trump said. "This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people of all religions who seek to protect it."

Trump, who is seeking to ban Muslims from six majority-Muslim countries where terrorist attacks have occurred from entering the U.S., did not use the contentious phrase "radical Islamic terrorism" in the excerpts, as he frequently has in U.S. speeches. Instead, he called on the Muslim leaders to honestly confront "the crisis of Islamist extremism and the Islamist terror groups it inspires."

He said, "America is a sovereign nation and our first priority is always the safety and security of our citizens. We are not here to lecture-we are not here to tell other people how to live, what to do, who to be, or how to worship. Instead, we are here to offer partnership - based on shared interests and values - to pursue a better future for us all. Every time a terrorist murders an innocent person, and falsely invokes the name of God, it should be an insult to every person of faith."

"Terrorism has spread across the world," Trump says. "But the path to peace begins right here, on this ancient soil, in this sacred land," stressing that "America is prepared to stand with you - in pursuit of shared interests and common security.

Ahead of the speech, the U.S. president has been meeting with the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council to discuss differences with Iran and how to deal with the country, and how to crack down on Islamic militancy.

Trump's speech is a surprising turn for the president in the wake of his "America First" rhetoric and campaign statements calling for a total Muslim travel ban, which he then softened to call for a more limited travel ban from the six Muslim-majority countries. His effort has been blocked by U.S. courts, although Trump is appealing the ruling.

Saudi Arabia is an unprecedented destination for an initial overseas visit by any U.S. president, but the oil-rich nation, which has deep, long-standing energy and defense ties to the United States, was not included in Trump's travel ban edict.