President Donald Trump has begun a three-day diplomatic and economic tour of the Gulf States, with Saudi Arabia hosting the first leg of his journey. Greeted personally by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on arrival in Riyadh on Tuesday, a rare honour for a US president.
The Saudi welcome included a formal dinner and a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council, featuring leaders from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. According to BBC News, the visit is expected to centre on securing multi-billion-dollar investments from Gulf sovereign wealth funds to support Trump's domestic manufacturing push, a key pillar of his “America First” agenda. Senior fellow Karen Young told the outlet Trump is keen to showcase “a big poster” detailing new Gulf investments and the potential for US job creation.
The president’s schedule in Saudi Arabia also includes a high-profile lunch with top American business leaders. CNN reported that executives from Amazon, NVIDIA, OpenAI, Google, Boeing, Uber and Coca-Cola will join Trump and Prince Mohammed at the Saudi Royal Court. Elon Musk is expected to attend in his dual capacity as a CEO and senior White House adviser.
Trump’s visit comes as global oil prices have dipped, with Brent crude trading at around \$64 a barrel significantly below its 2022 highs. While Trump has often criticised Saudi Arabia and OPEC+ for inflating prices, the current dip gives him a positive economic talking point. Still, tensions remain between his desire for lower oil prices and Riyadh’s need to fund massive development plans, including the NEOM mega-city and the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Beyond economics, the trip carries serious geopolitical weight. According to CNN, Riyadh hopes for a renewed US commitment to Gulf security and backing for its civil nuclear programme although Washington has hesitated over Saudi ambitions to enrich uranium domestically. The UAE, meanwhile, is pitching itself as a future leader in AI and semiconductors, and Qatar remains vital due to its role as host of the largest US military base in the Middle East and its mediation in regional conflicts.
Notably, Iran has remained quiet during Trump’s visit, reflecting a new phase of Saudi-Iranian detente brokered by China in 2023. As the AP reported, Saudi officials believe economic progress at home is best secured through regional stability.
The trip comes as Trump seeks to reassert American leadership abroad while signalling economic wins to voters at home. As Saudi columnist Faisal J. Abbas wrote in Arab News, “Putting America first does not mean ignoring opportunities abroad; it means seizing them.”
The Saudi welcome included a formal dinner and a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council, featuring leaders from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. According to BBC News, the visit is expected to centre on securing multi-billion-dollar investments from Gulf sovereign wealth funds to support Trump's domestic manufacturing push, a key pillar of his “America First” agenda. Senior fellow Karen Young told the outlet Trump is keen to showcase “a big poster” detailing new Gulf investments and the potential for US job creation.
The president’s schedule in Saudi Arabia also includes a high-profile lunch with top American business leaders. CNN reported that executives from Amazon, NVIDIA, OpenAI, Google, Boeing, Uber and Coca-Cola will join Trump and Prince Mohammed at the Saudi Royal Court. Elon Musk is expected to attend in his dual capacity as a CEO and senior White House adviser.
Trump’s visit comes as global oil prices have dipped, with Brent crude trading at around \$64 a barrel significantly below its 2022 highs. While Trump has often criticised Saudi Arabia and OPEC+ for inflating prices, the current dip gives him a positive economic talking point. Still, tensions remain between his desire for lower oil prices and Riyadh’s need to fund massive development plans, including the NEOM mega-city and the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Beyond economics, the trip carries serious geopolitical weight. According to CNN, Riyadh hopes for a renewed US commitment to Gulf security and backing for its civil nuclear programme although Washington has hesitated over Saudi ambitions to enrich uranium domestically. The UAE, meanwhile, is pitching itself as a future leader in AI and semiconductors, and Qatar remains vital due to its role as host of the largest US military base in the Middle East and its mediation in regional conflicts.
Notably, Iran has remained quiet during Trump’s visit, reflecting a new phase of Saudi-Iranian detente brokered by China in 2023. As the AP reported, Saudi officials believe economic progress at home is best secured through regional stability.
The trip comes as Trump seeks to reassert American leadership abroad while signalling economic wins to voters at home. As Saudi columnist Faisal J. Abbas wrote in Arab News, “Putting America first does not mean ignoring opportunities abroad; it means seizing them.”
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