Trump kicks off Middle East visit seeking big economic deals

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: May 13, 2025 5:06 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived successful Saudi Arabia connected Tuesday to commencement a four-day plaything done the Gulf region, focusing much connected economical deals than information crises ranging from warfare successful Gaza to the menace of escalation implicit Iran's atomic program.

With a who's who of almighty American concern leaders successful tow, including Tesla CEO and Trump advisor Elon Musk, Trump volition archetypal sojourn Riyadh, tract of a Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum, and spell to Qatar connected Wednesday and the United Arab Emirates connected Thursday — but is not visiting Israel.

"While vigor remains a cornerstone of our relationship, the investments and concern opportunities successful the kingdom person expanded and multiplied many, galore times over," Saudi Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih said arsenic helium opened the forum.

"As a effect ... erstwhile Saudis and Americans articulation forces precise bully things happen, much often than not large things hap erstwhile those articulation ventures happen," helium said earlier Trump's arrival.

The Saudi-U.S. concern forum began with a video showing soaring eagles and falcons, celebrating the agelong past betwixt the United States and the kingdom.

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At the beforehand of a palatial hallway sat Larry Fink, the CEO of Blackrock, Stephen A. Schwartzman, CEO of Blackstone, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al Jadaan and Khalid.

Speaking astatine a forum sheet arsenic Trump touched down successful Riyadh, Fink said helium had visited Saudi Arabia much than 65 times implicit 20 years. He said the kingdom had been a follower erstwhile helium archetypal started visiting but was present "taking control" and broadening its system retired of its lipid base.

Saudi Arabia and the U.S. person maintained beardown ties for decades based connected an ironclad statement successful which the kingdom delivers lipid and the superpower provides security.

Saudi F-15 combatant jets appeared connected some sides of Air Force One, cruising on successful adjacent proximity to travel Trump into the kingdom, according to a excavation study from a Wall Street Journal reporter.

Trump has besides said helium whitethorn question connected Thursday to Turkey for imaginable face-to-face talks betwixt Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy connected Russia's warfare successful Ukraine.

Trump's 2nd overseas travel since returning to the presidency — his archetypal was to Rome for Pope Francis' ceremonial — comes astatine a clip of geopolitical tension.

In summation to pressing for a colony successful Ukraine, his medication is pushing for a caller assistance mechanics for Gaza aft 19 months of warfare and urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold a caller ceasefire woody there.

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Over the weekend, U.S. and Iranian negotiators met successful Oman to sermon a imaginable woody to curb Tehran's atomic program. Trump has threatened subject enactment against Iran if diplomacy fails.

Apart from the imaginable Turkey broadside trip, those matters are not the absorption of Trump's Middle East plaything arsenic present scheduled.

The United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the U.A.E. are expected to denote investments that could tally into the trillions. Saudi Arabia already committed successful January to $600 cardinal successful investments successful the United States implicit the adjacent 4 years, but Trump has said helium volition inquire for a afloat trillion.

Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth are traveling with the president.

Trump is expected to connection Saudi Arabia an arms bundle worthy much than $100 cardinal US, sources told Reuters. This could see a scope of precocious weapons including C-130 transport aircraft.

The U.S. and Saudi Arabia are expected to debar the taxable of normalization betwixt Riyadh and Israel altogether, sources told Reuters, adjacent arsenic it is Trump's astir enduring geopolitical extremity successful the region.

Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said past week helium expected advancement imminently connected expanding the Abraham Accords, a acceptable of deals brokered by Trump successful his archetypal word by which Arab states including the U.A.E., Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco recognized Israel.

But absorption by Netanyahu to a imperishable halt to the warfare successful Gaza oregon to the instauration of a Palestinian authorities makes advancement connected akin talks with Riyadh unlikely, sources told Reuters.

Trump's 2nd and 3rd stops, successful Qatar and the U.A.E., are likewise expected to absorption connected economical issues.

Qatar's royal household is expected to acquisition Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 level to beryllium outfitted for usage arsenic Air Force One, an statement that has drawn scrutiny from morals experts.

Trump is expected to donate the level to his statesmanlike room for usage aft his word ends.