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Arms, AI, and airspace: Trump begins Middle East visit eyeing big deals
Trump is expected to announce multi-billion-dollar agreements, including arms sales and investments, with Gulf leaders.
US President Donald Trump will arrive in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, kicking off a diplomatic and business-focused tour of the Gulf that also includes Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, reported news agency AFP.
This marks Donald Trump’s first major overseas trip since starting his second term in office. The White House described the visit as a "historical return" to the Middle East, signalling Trump’s continued interest in strengthening ties with the Gulf states.
According to US officials, the main aim of the tour is to finalize business deals, although discussions on Middle East conflicts are also expected.
"White House sources have indicated that the president will focus on 'deals'," Daniel B Shapiro, a fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Security Initiative told AFP.
The visit comes after a series of foreign policy moves by Trump’s administration. Just a day ago, the White House secured the release of the last known American hostage in Gaza and resumed nuclear talks with Iran. Trump also announced a truce with Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels last week.
UAE set to welcome Trump with royal honours
Riyadh, Doha, and Abu Dhabi are expected to welcome Trump with full royal honours. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is set to host President Trump with a formal state dinner and a summit that includes leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council, which comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, reported news agency AP.
"The president looks forward to embarking on his historic return to the Middle East," AFP quoted Trump’s spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, as saying. She added that Trump wants to promote a vision where “extremism is defeated in place of commerce and cultural exchanges.”
Massive investments in cards
President Trump chose Saudi Arabia as the first major stop of his second term, largely due to its commitment to invest heavily in the United States.
During his visit, he is expected to announce a series of agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, focusing on artificial intelligence, enhanced energy partnerships, and potential new arms deals. Earlier this month, the US administration approved a preliminary $3.5 billion sale of air-to-air missiles for Saudi fighter jets.
According to the AFP report, Trump has responded positively to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who has promised to invest $600 billion in US trade and business ventures.
"I'll be asking the crown prince, who's a fantastic guy, to round it out to around one trillion. I think they'll do that because we've been very good to them," Trump said.
A Saudi defence official told the news agency that Riyadh plans to request the latest US F-35 fighter jets and advanced air defence systems worth billions of dollars. “We will condition that the deliveries take place during Trump's term,” the official added.
The Gulf states have become key allies in US foreign policy during Trump’s second term. Saudi Arabia has hosted peace talks in Ukraine, while Qatar has helped negotiate between Hamas and Israel.
