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Former President Donald Trump launched a high-stakes tour of the Persian Gulf region this week, targeting business transactions and strategic partnerships with three oil-rich countries: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
The trip marks Trump’s first major foreign visit in the new semester, bringing it to Hamas in the Gaza Strip as nuclear negotiations that drags Iran over and continues the war between Israel and Palestinian terrorist organisation Hamas. Business is the official focus, but the background is not calm.
White House spokesman Caroline Levitt called the mission “extremism has been defeated” as part of Trump’s broader vision. [through] Commercial and cultural exchange. ”
Under President Joe Biden, US relations with the Gulf countries have been cooled, particularly after Biden vowed to turn Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman into a “pariah” over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But Trump reversed the course and embraced a more transactional approach that warmed his relationship with local leaders.
Our and the Saudi flag will flap along the Riyadh highway in Saudi Arabia before President Donald Trump arrives on May 12, 2025 (Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed)
“The overall goal here is to remind our Middle Eastern allies that we will stay here,” said Greg Rohman, executive director of the Middle East Forum. “We are here to promote the common interests, not the waiver policy under the previous administration.”
Big money, big expectations
Saudi Arabia has already pledged to invest $600 billion in US investments across arms purchases, technology transfers, artificial intelligence and stock markets. Trump said he believes Saudi Arabia could ultimately win up to $1 trillion.
Saudi Arabia’s leaders aim to diversify their economy from oil, but these large investments still rely on oil revenues.
Relations with Netanyahu as a Middle Eastern policy are strained to separate Israel more and more
President Donald Trump made a historic visit to Saudi Arabia early in his first term in 2017.
In addition to economic transactions, Trump and bin Salman are expected to discuss possible civil nuclear programs and expanding defense cooperation. Such an agreement was once linked to the possibility of normalizing the Abrahamian style of agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
However, Riyadh made it clear that unless the Palestinian state is on the table, it would not recognize Israel. There are no scheduled stops in Israel during Trump tours.
“Normalization of Israel in the Saudi US project is an outdated option,” said Salman al-Ansari, a Saudi geopolitical analyst. “The second Trump administration is doubling its strategically autonomous Middle East policy.”
With the possibility of a goodwill gesture ahead of the trip, Hamas released Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American hostage.
And as the UAE aims to boost relations with the US and become a global AI leader by 2030, it will require American microchips. The United Arab Emirates is even further ahead of Saudi Arabia, pledging $1.4 trillion in US investment over the next decade, focusing on AI, semiconductors, manufacturing and energy.
Biden was tightening the curbs of AI exports to protect such technology from the hands of its enemies as China approached the Middle Eastern states, particularly the United Arab Emirates.
On Thursday, the US announced that Trump would withdraw restrictions from Biden-era restrictions.
Itinerary: 3 days, 3 power centres
Trump’s visit to the Whirlwind Bay begins Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and will be headlined at the US and Saudi Investment Forum, along with Saudi Ministers, White House CZAR’s David Sack and other business leaders.
On Wednesday, he will attend the Gulf Cooperation Council and fly to Qatar for a meeting with Emil Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and a visit with US military Al Udeid Air Base.
The last stop on Thursday is Abu Dhabi, where Trump will meet UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The fourth round of US and Iran talks will be concluded as Trump embarks on his historic Middle East tour
Catalis pulls out all the stops to impress. They provided Trump with the use of the Royal Boeing 747-8, normally reserved for the Qatar royal family, and the Air Force.
Since being nominated by Biden as a major non-Natal ally in 2022, Qatar has deepened its ties with the United States, hosting US troops and brokering sensitive negotiations, including ongoing back-channel talks between Israel and Gaza.
President Trump’s decision to accept a $400 million plane from Qatar has raised serious eyebrows, even among his solid supporters. (Getty Images | istock)
Doha also maintains close contact with Syrian new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa. Ahmed al-Sharah has driven out Bashar al-Assad and is now seeking sanction relief and normalized relationships with the West.
“Local leaders will have the opportunity to deal directly with the president and the situation,” said Jonathan Bass, a local expert. “Trump is the only guy who can lead the way.”
I’m looking at Iran well
The fourth round of Iran nuclear talks in Oman over the weekend failed to produce a breakthrough, but Tehran is expected to focus on Trump’s Gulf Conference.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragut visited both Saudi Arabia and Qatar without notice prior to Trump’s arrival.
Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei monitors Trump’s visit to his local neighbours. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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But Trump’s three host countries, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, remain cautious about Iran’s ambitions.
“The area needs to openly address the IRGC issues,” Bus said. “The IRGC is trying to undermine all countries in the region.”
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