Donald Trump’s latest trip to the Gulf has been hailed as a diplomatic and economic triumph, reinvigorating ties between the United States and key Gulf nations. It comes at a critical time for the former president, who has struggled since January 20 with thorny international issues, including the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. Trump thrives on momentum and challenge, not on patiently awaiting consensus. While Fox News predictably praised the outcomes of the tour, even the Washington Post acknowledged Trump’s knack for promoting American interests.
During his visit, Trump announced deals worth a staggering $4 trillion—though more conservative estimates peg actual signed agreements at $730 billion, with the remainder made up of non-binding memorandums and investment pledges.
Business as Usual
Business, after all, is the engine of both war and peace in the region. As Washington gradually distances itself from direct military involvement in the Middle East, Trump is pressing Gulf states to take on a greater role in regional crises—from Gaza to Syria. His approach is transactional, and so far, effective.
With Saudi Arabia, the U.S. inked a $142 billion arms deal, alongside a pledge of $600 billion in investment in the U.S. economy—particularly in AI and energy. Unconfirmed reports suggest that Trump proposed to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a bold plan: Saudi administrative oversight of Gaza in exchange for official recognition of Israel. Such a deal could revive the normalization process between Tel Aviv and Riyadh, which had stalled after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack and Israel’s ongoing military response in Gaza.
In Qatar, a strategic U.S. ally home to the massive Al Udeid Air Base, business was just as brisk. Doha signed economic deals totaling $1.2 trillion, including a record-breaking $96 billion order for 210 Boeing aircraft for Qatar Airways—the largest aircraft purchase ever made by the world’s leading airline.
And in a historic first visit by a U.S. president to the United Arab Emirates in 15 years, the outcome was also significant: Abu Dhabi pledged $1.4 billion in AI investments in the U.S. over the next decade.
Transactional Diplomacy Becomes Doctrine
Trump’s foreign policy remains deeply pragmatic, focused on deals, investments, and mutual benefit—both national and personal. Alongside these government-level agreements, he reportedly has private plans for new Trump Towers, golf resorts, and theme parks in all three countries he just visited.
For his supporters, potential conflicts of interest don’t raise alarms. One recent episode involving Qatar’s offer to lend a replacement Air Force One while Boeing finishes a new model sparked little controversy among the MAGA base. “When Americans give so much to the world,” Trump shot back during a press conference, “why would I be stupid enough to turn down a gift?”
While critics point out that many of these deals remain provisional, the Gulf tour nonetheless represents a major step in Trump’s strategy to reposition the U.S. as an indispensable economic partner in a region it is slowly retreating from militarily.
On the sidelines of the tour, Trump also ramped up efforts to revive a nuclear deal with Iran. He confirmed that Washington had submitted a proposal to Tehran regarding its nuclear program, urging the Iranian regime to act quickly or face severe consequences—in exchange for a lifting of sanctions that continue to cripple its economy. As usual, Trump expressed a preference for a diplomatic resolution, though he warned that military options were still “on the table” should talks fail.
Iran, for its part, denied receiving any formal proposal and called out contradictions in Washington’s messaging. Still, Trump remains optimistic, claiming both sides have “sort of” agreed on the framework for a new nuclear deal. If finalized, such an agreement could signal a major shift in America’s Middle East policy—and cap a remarkably successful return to high-stakes diplomacy for the former president.
