US President Donald Tour on Thursday with a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), following stops in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The trip, part of his first major international journey of his second term, focused on securing high-value deals and strengthening ties with Gulf nations.rump wrapped up his Middle East.
Trump’s visit to Qatar was highlighted by what he called a record-breaking $200 billion deal for Boeing aircraft. He then travelled to the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, before concluding his tour. The president had started the trip in Saudi Arabia, where he secured a commitment for $600 billion in investments, including one of the largest US weapons deals in history.
The Gulf nations’ lavish pledges have stirred controversy. Qatar, ahead of Trump’s visit, gifted him a luxury plane for both official and personal use. This move was criticised by Trump’s Democratic rivals, who accused him of accepting a bribe.
During his trip, Trump emphasised the positive impact of Gulf investments on creating jobs in the United States. In Riyadh, he took the opportunity to attack both Democrats and the traditional wing of his own Republican Party. Trump, who also visited Saudi Arabia at the start of his first term, expressed disdain for US military interventions in the Middle East, particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq, and praised the economic achievements of the Gulf region.
“The gleaming marvels of Riyadh and Abu Dhabi were not created by the so-called ‘nation-builders’ or ‘neocons’, but by the people of this region,” Trump stated. “In the end, those ‘nation-builders’ wrecked far more nations than they built.”
Additionally, Trump commended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his vision and swift economic progress, which have revolutionised the kingdom’s terrain. As part of his support for the Crown Prince, Trump announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria following the toppling of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December.
In Riyadh, Trump met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former guerrilla fighter who had once been on the US wanted list but now appeared in a suit. Trump complimented him as a “young, attractive guy”, drawing attention to the shifting dynamics of Middle Eastern politics.
While in the region, Trump hinted that he might extend his trip to Turkey if Russian President Vladimir Putin were to agree to talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump stated that if Putin accepted the offer, he would be willing to travel to Turkey for the meeting. However, Russia has not indicated any intention for Putin to attend the talks, and Trump mentioned that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would still travel to Istanbul to prepare for the possibility.
The president’s tour has been marked by a mix of high-stakes diplomacy, business deals, and political controversy, underlining the US’s ongoing efforts to maintain and strengthen its relationships with key Middle Eastern partners.