President Donald Trump is touring the Persian Gulf region this week in hopes of garnering more partnerships with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
According to Fox News, Trump’s journey marks his first significant overseas visit since taking office, amid the growing tension over nuclear talks with Iran and conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. While the official agenda centers on business, the broader geopolitical landscape remains volatile.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt characterized the mission as an integral part of Trump’s larger strategy, emphasizing that “extremism is defeated [through] commerce and cultural exchanges.”
During former President Joe Biden’s tenure, U.S. relations with Gulf states waned, especially after he pledged to make Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a “pariah” in response to the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In contrast, Trump has shifted gears, adopting a more transactional approach that is strengthening ties with regional leaders.
“The overall goal here is that the United States is reminding our Middle East allies that we’re here to stay,” said Gregg Roman, executive director of the Middle East Forum. “We’re here to promote our joint interests rather than the abandonment policies under the previous administration.”
Saudi Arabia has committed $600 billion in investments across various sectors in the U.S., including defense, technology, artificial intelligence, and financial markets. Trump has expressed confidence that Saudi investments could eventually reach $1 trillion.
“We have the biggest business leaders in the world here,” Trump said during his meeting with bin Salman. “They’re going to walk away with a lot of checks, a lot of things that you’re going to provide. And the United States has probably 2 million jobs that we’re talking about this visit.”
“We’ll continue to service, your great country very well.”
The UAE is ambitiously aiming to become a global leader in artificial intelligence by 2030, and U.S. microchips will be essential to its progress. Taking its commitment even further than Saudi Arabia, the UAE has pledged $1.4 trillion in U.S. investments over the next decade, with a focus on AI, semiconductors, manufacturing, and energy.
Qatar has also offered Trump the use of a royal Boeing 747-8 to serve as Air Force One, usually only reserved for the Qatari royal family.
