Trump's Gulf tour reshapes Middle East diplomatic map
- U.S. President Donald Trump toured key Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE from May 13, 2025, focusing on diplomacy and investment deals in Riyadh and beyond.
- The visit followed mounting U.S. Frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's opposition to Gaza ceasefire efforts and Iran negotiations, prompting a strategic pivot toward Sunni-led Gulf monarchies.
- Trump secured up to $700 billion in arms and investment deals, including a record $142 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia and a $1.2 trillion agreement with Qatar involving energy and defense cooperation.
- Former U.S. Official David Schenker said the administration is ‘‘very frustrated with Netanyahu’’ who ‘‘isn't giving them anything right now,’’ while Trump maintained he remains a friend to Israel.
- The tour signaled a realignment of U.S. Middle East policy toward Gulf partners, reducing unconditional support for Netanyahu and emphasizing transactional economic and security interests.
85 Articles
85 Articles
Regional response: How Gulf monarchies leveraged Trump’s visit
Cover image: picture alliance / Xinhua News Agency | Saudi Press Agency In the latest episode of the WOMENP podcast series, Ellie Geranmayeh welcomes Dina Esfandiary, Middle East geoeconomics lead at Bloomberg; Yasmine Farouk, Gulf and Arabian Peninsula project director at International Crisis Group; and Dania Thafer, executive director at the Gulf International Forum. Together, they discuss how Arab Gulf monarchies used Trump’s latest visit to …
Shifting to Saudi: The daylight between Trump's America and Netanyahu's Israel is blinding
Following U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, it seems Washington is getting closer to the Gulf states. Israel should pay attention, if it doesn't want to be boxed out on Gaza and Iran
How Trump is Shaping a New Middle East
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Trump's Visit to the Middle East: "A Major Trip at a Critical Time for the Whole Region"
Donald Trump conducted a four-day tour of the Gulf countries, visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). After the visit, the White House handed over over over over $2 trillion worth of deals, including investment in defence, technology and infrastructure, the media focused on the fact that Israel had not been included in the visit route, which gave rise to speculation about the shift in American priorities in the region.
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