Trump’s Middle East Tour Focuses on $1 Trillion in Gulf Deals/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump begins a high-stakes trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, seeking $1 trillion in investment and defense deals. With military sales, tech investments, and real estate interests on the table, the visit prioritizes economics over diplomacy. AI, energy, and advanced weapons systems are key focal points.
Trump’s Trillion-Dollar Gulf Tour Prioritizes Business – Quick Looks
- Trump aims to secure $1 trillion in deals during Gulf tour.
- Saudi Crown Prince pledged $600B over four years; $100B in arms sales expected.
- Qatar to announce major deals with Boeing, drone purchase, and possible 747 “gift.”
- UAE previously pledged $1.4T in long-term U.S. investment.
- Trump Organization announces new luxury real estate venture in Qatar.
- Tech and AI at center stage with CEOs from OpenAI and Nvidia attending.
- Gulf nations lobbying for access to U.S.-made AI chips.
- Geopolitical issues, including Israel-Saudi normalization, take a back seat.
Trump’s Middle East Tour Focuses on $1 Trillion in Gulf Deals
Deep Look
WASHINGTON / RIYADH — President Donald Trump has departed for a whirlwind trip to the Gulf region, targeting $1 trillion in investment and defense deals in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. According to U.S. and Arab officials, this journey is focused almost exclusively on economic agreements, with geopolitical diplomacy taking a back seat.
“His regional agenda is business, business, and business,” one Arab official remarked.
This mirrors Trump’s 2017 visit, when he made Saudi Arabia his first overseas stop, securing $450 billion in deals at the time. He reportedly told aides:
“They’ve gotten richer. We’ve gotten older. So I said, ‘Make it $1 trillion this time,’ and they agreed.”
Key Deals and Investment Targets
Trump is expected to sign or announce:
- $100 billion in military sales with Saudi Arabia, including advanced air systems.
- Major energy and mineral contracts, aligning with U.S. interests in energy security.
- Qatar’s $200–$300 billion investment package, including:
- A commercial aircraft deal with Boeing.
- A $2 billion order for MQ-9 Reaper drones.
- A proposed gift of a 747 jumbo jet, potentially to be used as temporary Air Force One.
The UAE, for its part, has already pledged $1.4 trillion in investments into the U.S. economy over the next decade.
Business and Personal Ties Intersect
In the backdrop of Trump’s diplomatic tour, the Trump Organization recently announced a luxury real estate development in Qatar, joining its existing ventures in Dubai, Jeddah, and Oman.
Several Trump associates also hold commercial ties in the Gulf, reinforcing speculation that the former president’s personal and public interests are increasingly intertwined in the region.
AI and Technology in Focus
Tech investments are another major thread of the tour:
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is traveling to the Gulf during the trip.
- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and other tech leaders are headlining the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum in Riyadh.
- Discussions will include AI chip access for Gulf nations, particularly as the Trump administration rescinded a Biden-era export control rule last week.
That rule had previously aimed to limit China’s access to high-end chips via third parties. The new framework under Trump is still under review, raising questions about whether the Gulf states will be restricted or greenlit.
The Political Backdrop
While Trump has voiced hopes of achieving a Saudi-Israel normalization agreement, officials concede it’s off the table for now — primarily due to the ongoing war in Gaza and delays in a ceasefire or hostage-release deal.
Trump will not visit Israel on this trip, with aides saying there is currently “nothing to gain.”
Reality Check
Though Trump may announce deals worth up to $1 trillion, analysts caution that actual delivery on those pledges remains uncertain. Past large-scale pledges have frequently fallen short of the headlines.
Nonetheless, the optics of Trump positioning himself as a master dealmaker—able to extract historic investments and arms agreements—serve both his economic agenda and campaign narrative.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.