Donald Trump remains true to form—especially on the world stage. Unlike previous U.S. presidents, who traditionally chose neighbors like Canada or Mexico, or close allies like the UK, for their first foreign trip, Trump once again made Saudi Arabia his first destination. As during his initial term in office, the choice was far from symbolic—and Trump never pretended otherwise.
Upon returning to the White House after that first visit, the Republican bluntly stated that the Saudi royal family had agreed to buy $450 billion worth of U.S. goods. For Trump, the trip was clearly a reward for the deal. “I told them I’d come when they opened the checkbooks,” he said at the time. Now? He appears to be sending the same message: if Riyadh is willing to invest another $450 to $500 billion—“then I’ll be there.”
Reports now suggest that Washington has offered Saudi Arabia a new arms package worth roughly $100 billion. It is said to include C-130 transport aircraft from Lockheed Martin, as well as advanced missile and radar systems. Trump’s visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates also revolved around economic interests.
For Trump, such deals go beyond diplomacy—they are key to his “America First” narrative of industrial revival and job creation. But private interests are never far behind. Just last month, the Trump Organization signed a deal with Qatar to build a golf course north of Doha—construction to be handled by a Saudi firm. Meanwhile, Trump’s sons Eric and Donald Jr. are pursuing plans for a luxury hotel in Dubai and a residential tower in Jeddah. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and former adviser, remains active in the region as an investor.
The line between public duty and private business remains blurred for Trump—especially as he reengages with Middle East diplomacy.
The White House, for its part, emphasizes that a stable and secure Middle East benefits both the region and the United States economically. It denies any conflict of interest in Trump’s dual roles as former president and businessman. The Trump sons, officials insist, conduct their business independently. The irony is not lost, however, given Trump’s repeated attacks on Joe Biden and his son Hunter, whom he accused of exploiting family ties for business in Ukraine and China.
Meanwhile, the political landscape in the region is fraught with complexity. The war in Gaza has severely disrupted attempts to bring Israel and Saudi Arabia closer together. Under Trump, the U.S. had brokered the Abraham Accords, which normalized ties between Israel and several Arab nations, including the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco. President Biden sought to expand on that legacy, offering Riyadh a security pact and access to advanced U.S. weaponry in exchange for establishing diplomatic relations with Israel—on the condition that the Saudis stop purchasing Chinese arms and curb Beijing’s investments.
Those efforts have stalled—largely due to Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which have drawn sharp criticism from the Arab world. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly stated that it will not recognize Israel without a credible path to Palestinian statehood.
Now, according to Reuters, the Trump team appears to be dropping that condition. Future cooperation, particularly in civilian nuclear technology, may proceed regardless of Saudi-Israeli normalization. Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom is pushing an ambitious economic diversification strategy, with nuclear energy seen as a way to meet domestic energy demand and free up more oil for export. But critics warn that the real aim may be military—specifically, to counter Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Coincidentally, just one day before Trump’s arrival in Riyadh, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff concluded a fourth round of nuclear talks with Iran in Oman. Washington called the talks “encouraging,” though cautiously so.
Geopolitically, Trump also appears to be testing new leverage in the Gulf. Just weeks ago, he floated the idea of meeting Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia. But that now seems unlikely: the Kremlin has said Putin has no current plans to travel to the region. Trump, on the other hand, may press Riyadh to increase oil exports—a move that could put additional pressure on Moscow.
Oil prices, global diplomacy, business deals—Trump’s Middle East strategy continues to blur the boundaries between politics and profit.
