Donald Trump begins middle east tour in Saudi Arabia, discusses Iran, Gaza war & oil with Crown Prince; here¡¯s what we know

U.S. President Donald Trump opened his four-day tour of the Middle East with a visit to Saudi Arabia, where he was welcomed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The visit includes discussions on Iran¡¯s nuclear ambitions, the war in Gaza, oil market stability, and growing business and investment ties between the two countries.

A formal welcome in Riyadh

Before Air Force One touched down in Riyadh, Saudi fighter jets from the Royal Saudi Air Force escorted the president¡¯s aircraft in a show of respect. Upon landing, Trump was received by Crown Prince Mohammed and led to a ceremonial hall where Arabic coffee was served by attendants in traditional attire. Later, both leaders joined a formal lunch at the Royal Court, with guests including Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Musk also heads the U.S. government¡¯s Department of Government Efficiency in Trump¡¯s second term.

Energy, investments, and economic talks

Trump¡¯s agenda includes participation in a U.S.-Saudi investment conference where energy cooperation is a key topic. Saudi Arabia and other OPEC+ members have increased oil production, aligning with Trump¡¯s efforts to reduce inflation and lower energy prices at home. Trump has argued that lower oil prices may also help bring the Russia-Ukraine war to an end. However, Saudi Arabia requires oil prices between $96 and $98 per barrel to balance its budget ¡ª a challenge, with Brent crude recently closing at $64.77. According to analyst Jon Alterman, lower prices may not halt the Gulf¡¯s economic diversification plans but could slow them down.

Deals and development projects in Gulf countries

Trump¡¯s itinerary includes stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, where the Trump Organization has active real estate projects, including a tower in Jeddah, a luxury hotel in Dubai, and a golf course and villa complex in Qatar. His administration is expected to announce agreements in areas like artificial intelligence, energy cooperation, and arms sales. The U.S. recently approved a $3.5 billion air-to-air missile deal for Saudi Arabia. Trump aims to show that his transactional foreign policy approach is yielding tangible benefits despite criticism from political opponents.

Donald Trump | Credit: X

Tensions over Israel and regional diplomacy

Trump¡¯s trip comes at a time of tension with Israel, which was notably left off the itinerary. He announced a halt to U.S. airstrikes against Yemen¡¯s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who have targeted shipping routes ¡ª a move not communicated to Israel in advance. This follows similar instances where Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, were not briefed ahead of key U.S. diplomatic moves involving Hamas and Iran. Netanyahu responded to the Houthi truce, saying, ¡°Israel will defend itself by itself.¡±

Push for Saudi-Israel normalization

A key part of Trump¡¯s broader regional aim remains the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. During his first term, the Abraham Accords helped normalize ties between Israel and several Arab states. Riyadh, however, has placed conditions for normalization, including U.S. security support, nuclear assistance, and progress toward a Palestinian state. With the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and destruction in Gaza, these conditions remain unresolved. Last week, Prince Mohammed hosted Palestinian Vice President Hussein Sheikh in Jeddah, signaling the importance of Palestinian statehood in future diplomatic progress.

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