Trump Visits Gulf States

President Donald Trump is in Saudi Arabia today, the first of three stops on his Middle East trip. The visit marks Trump’s first overseas trip of his second term, excluding a visit to Italy earlier this month to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral. 

Trump prioritized Saudi Arabia for his first foreign trip last term as well, breaking with past presidents who prioritized trips in Europe or North America (see history). In his first term, Trump’s interest in the Middle East helped lead the Abraham Accords. This visit, Trump will emphasize economic ties. A US-Saudi investment summit will reportedly include top executives from Nvidia, Palantir, Citigroup, Blackstone, and Uber. Trump visits Qatar tomorrow, followed by the United Arab Emirates Thursday.

Trump ultimately hopes to announce large-scale US-Gulf trade and investment deals. Saudi Arabia has so far pledged $600B in US investments over four years, while the UAE has committed to a $1.4T investment over the next decade.