Trump Heads to Persian Gulf for Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE go to

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Having trouble? Click here. President Donald Trump is embarking this week on a high-stakes tour of the Persian Gulf area, concentrating on enterprise offers and strategic partnerships with three oil-rich nations: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

The journey marks Trump's first main overseas go to of his new time period and comes as nuclear negotiations with Iran drag on and as warfare continues between Israel and the Palestinian terror group, Hamas, within the Gaza Strip. Whereas enterprise is the official focus, the backdrop is something however calm.

White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the mission as a part of Trump’s broader imaginative and prescient that "extremism is defeated [through] commerce and cultural exchanges."

Below former President Joe Biden , U.S. relations with Gulf states cooled, significantly after Biden vowed to make Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a "pariah" over the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. However Trump has reversed course, embracing a extra transactional method that has warmed ties with regional leaders.

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"The general objective right here is that the USA is reminding our Center East allies that we're right here to remain," stated Gregg Roman, govt director of the Center East Discussion board. "We’re right here to advertise our joint pursuits somewhat than the abandonment insurance policies beneath the earlier administration."

Massive cash, huge expectations Saudi Arabia has already pledged $600 billion in U.S. investments, spanning weapons purchases, expertise transfers, synthetic intelligence and the inventory market. Trump has stated he believes the Saudis could in the end commit as much as $1 trillion.

Whereas Saudi leaders goal to diversify their financial system away from oil, these large investments nonetheless rely on oil revenues, which could possibly be threatened by Trump’s push to decrease world power costs.

TRUMP STRAINS RELATIONSHIP WITH NETANYAHU AS MIDDLE EAST POLICY INCREASINGLY ISOLATES ISRAEL

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/343/192/2025-05-12t115323z_485534209_rc2ageajn4vn_rtrmadp_3_usa-trump-gulf-saudi-presidents.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/686/384/2025-05-12t115323z_485534209_rc2ageajn4vn_rtrmadp_3_usa-trump-gulf-saudi-presidents.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/672/378/2025-05-12t115323z_485534209_rc2ageajn4vn_rtrmadp_3_usa-trump-gulf-saudi-presidents.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1344/756/2025-05-12t115323z_485534209_rc2ageajn4vn_rtrmadp_3_usa-trump-gulf-saudi-presidents.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/931/523/2025-05-12t115323z_485534209_rc2ageajn4vn_rtrmadp_3_usa-trump-gulf-saudi-presidents.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1862/1046/2025-05-12t115323z_485534209_rc2ageajn4vn_rtrmadp_3_usa-trump-gulf-saudi-presidents.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/720/405/2025-05-12t115323z_485534209_rc2ageajn4vn_rtrmadp_3_usa-trump-gulf-saudi-presidents.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1440/810/2025-05-12t115323z_485534209_rc2ageajn4vn_rtrmadp_3_usa-trump-gulf-saudi-presidents.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> President Donald Trump made a historic go to to Saudi Arabia early in his first time period in 2017. (Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court docket/Handout through REUTERS)

Along with financial offers, Trump and bin Salman are anticipated to debate a potential civil nuclear program and expanded protection cooperation. Such agreements have been as soon as linked to a possible Abraham Accords-style normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

However Riyadh has made clear it gained’t acknowledge Israel until Palestinian statehood is on the desk, one thing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has staunchly opposed. No cease in Israel is scheduled throughout Trump’s tour.

"Israeli normalization in any Saudi-U.S. challenge is an outdated choice," stated Saudi geopolitical analyst Salman Al-Ansari. "The second Trump administration is doubling down on its strategically autonomous Center East coverage."

In a potential goodwill gesture forward of the journey, Hamas launched Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, a transfer Trump referred to as "monumental" within the push to finish the Gaza battle.

And because the UAE seeks to spice up its ties with the U.S. and turn into a world AI chief by 2030, it’ll want American microchips. The UAE has gone even additional than the Saudis, promising $1.4 trillion in U.S. investments over the subsequent decade targeted on AI, semiconductors, manufacturing and power.

Biden had tightened curbs on AI exports to maintain such applied sciences out of the arms of adversaries at a time when China drew nearer to Middle Eastern states , particularly the UAE.

On Thursday, the U.S. introduced Trump would rescind the Biden-era restrictions.

Itinerary: Three days, three energy facilities Trump’s whirlwind Gulf go to begins Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the place he’ll headline the U.S.-Saudi Funding Discussion board alongside Saudi ministers, White Home crypto czar David Sacks and different enterprise leaders.

On Wednesday, he’ll attend a Gulf Cooperation Council assembly earlier than flying to Qatar for talks with Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and a go to to the U.S. navy’s Al Udeid Air Base.

Thursday’s closing cease is Abu Dhabi, the place Trump will meet UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

4TH ROUND OF US-IRAN TALKS ENDS AS TRUMP SET TO EMBARK ON HISTORIC MIDDLE EAST TOUR

The Qataris are pulling out all of the stops to impress: They’ve supplied Trump the usage of a royal Boeing 747-8, usually reserved for the Qatari royal household, to function Air Power One.

Since being named a serious non-NATO ally by Biden in 2022, Qatar has deepened its ties with the U.S., internet hosting American troops and mediating delicate negotiations, together with ongoing back-channel talks between Israel and Gaza.

President Trump's resolution to just accept a $400 million aircraft from Qatar is elevating severe eyebrows, even amongst his staunchest supporters. (Getty Pictures | iStock)

Doha additionally maintains shut contact with Syria’s new president , Ahmed al-Sharaa, who ousted Bashar al-Assad and is now looking for sanctions reduction and normalized ties with the West.

"Regional leaders could have a possibility to deal with the state of affairs straight with the president," stated regional skilled Jonathan Bass. "Trump is the one man that may prepared the ground."

Iran watching intently Whereas a fourth spherical of Iran nuclear talks in Oman over the weekend failed to provide a breakthrough, Tehran is anticipated to maintain an in depth eye on Trump’s Gulf meetings .

Iranian International Minister Abbas Araghchi made unannounced visits to each Saudi Arabia and Qatar forward of Trump’s arrival, possible in hopes of passing messages by means of these governments to Washington.

Iranian Supreme Chief Ali Khamenei shall be monitoring Trump's go to to his regional neighbors. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu through Getty Pictures)

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However all three of Trump’s host nations, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, stay cautious of Iran’s ambitions.

"The area must overtly deal with the issue of the IRGC," stated Bass, referring to Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. "The IRGC is making an attempt to undermine each single nation within the area."