Trump embarks on Gulf tour seeking major investment, arms deals

US president visits Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and UAE to boost economic cooperation, attract investments, and advance key defense agreements

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (MNTV) — United States President Donald Trump began a three-day diplomatic and economic tour of the Gulf on Tuesday, landing in Saudi Arabia before scheduled stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The trip underscores Washington’s enduring strategic and commercial partnerships with some of the wealthiest nations in the region.

Trump was welcomed in Riyadh by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) shortly after 10 a.m. local time.

His itinerary includes high-level meetings and a joint investment forum in Saudi Arabia featuring major US firms such as BlackRock, Citigroup, Palantir, Qualcomm, and Alphabet.

The visit marks Trump’s return to the region after his notable 2017 trip to Saudi Arabia, where he signed a $110 billion arms agreement and attended the Riyadh Summit during his first term as president.

That trip included meetings with leaders from across the Arab world and an iconic moment at the inauguration of the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology.

During this latest tour, Trump is expected to press for greater financial commitments from Gulf nations, reportedly targeting up to $1 trillion in new investment from Saudi Arabia alone.

According to Sami al-Arian, director of the Center for Islam and Global Affairs at Istanbul Zaim University, Trump’s approach is heavily driven by economic incentives. “He’s trying to get trillions of dollars out of these countries,” al-Arian said.

US-Gulf investment landscape

Recent data from the US Department of Commerce highlights the depth of bilateral investment ties:

• Saudi Arabia: US foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Kingdom totaled $11.3 billion in 2023, while Saudi investments in the US stood at $9.6 billion, spanning sectors such as transportation, real estate, plastics, and finance.
• Qatar: The US holds $2.5 billion in FDI stock in Qatar, with key investments in energy, petrochemicals, and communications. Qatar’s investments in the US reached $3.3 billion, primarily in finance, energy, and real estate.
• UAE: The US had $16.1 billion in FDI stock in the UAE last year, driven by manufacturing, finance, and wholesale trade. Meanwhile, Emirati FDI in the US reached $35 billion in 2023.

In a significant development earlier this year, UAE National Security Adviser Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan pledged $1.4 trillion in long-term investments to the US over the next decade, with plans to focus on high-tech and energy sectors including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and manufacturing.

Defense and arms cooperation

The Gulf states continue to be major clients of American military hardware. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Saudi Arabia was the leading recipient of US arms between 2020 and 2024, accounting for 12 percent of total US arms exports.

Around 74 percent of Saudi Arabia’s military imports during this period came from the US.

Qatar and Saudi Arabia ranked as the third and fourth largest arms importers globally, each responsible for 6.8 percent of total global arms imports. The UAE ranked 11th, with 2.6 percent.

The US supplied nearly half of Qatar’s military imports during this period and remains its primary arms partner.

In March, Washington approved a $2 billion defense package to Doha, including surveillance drones and a range of precision munitions.

The UAE also sourced 42 percent of its arms imports from the US in the same timeframe. Trump is expected to offer Saudi Arabia a new weapons package exceeding $100 billion as part of his ongoing efforts to bolster defense ties with the Kingdom.

Trump’s Gulf tour is set to conclude in the UAE on Thursday, May 15, following a Gulf summit in Riyadh and meetings in Qatar.