Trump kickstarted Gulf visit to strike major economic deals

Donald Trump kickstarted his visit to the Gulf region on May 13th, arriving in Saudi Arabia, as the US president looked to strike major economic deals, France 24 via Reuters reported.

Trump’s arrival in Saudi Arabia formed part of a four-day trip to the region. For the Trump administration, the region’s economic importance is signified by the fact that the trip seems to have been overdue, as it was meant to be his first foreign visit during his second term. But the US president attending the funeral of Pope Francis in late April 2025, the BBC reported on May 12th.

Attracting new investment from Gulf states, particularly their sovereign wealth funds, strengthens Trump’s position, aiding his “America First” agenda.

The trip happened during economic turbulence, as Trump’s new tariffs shake trade, confidence, and the domestic economy. US economic output dropped in the first three months of 2025, marking its first decline in three years.

Trump’s son, Eric Trump, who is vice president of the Trump Organisation, appears to think that the trip could bring harmony and strngthen ties. When discussing the trip, he said: “The era of peace will return, and the commander-in-chief of the US armed forces will be in Washington to help safeguard the Gulf’s security and stand by its people,” Al Jazeera reported on May 13th.

But there has been friction between the two countries. The UAE leader opposed the forced removal of Palestinians. On February 19th, the UAE president told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the UAE opposes Palestinian displacement. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan “reaffirmed the UAE’s firm stance, rejecting any attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land,”  the Middle East Eye via Reuters reported.

The UAE announced plans to invest $1.4tn in the US over the next decade, on sectors like AI, semiconductors, energy, and manufacturing. This followed a meeting between UAE’s national security advisor, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and President Trump.

Senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, Karen Young, stated: “For the UAE, this is absolutely essential.” She continued: “They are aggressively building out their AI capacity. So, for them getting access to US technology is imperative to be the best.”

France 24, Reuters, Al Jazeera, BBC, Middle East Eye