President Donald Trump returned to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, marking the first foreign visit of his second term by attending the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum in Riyadh. Greeted with regal fanfare, including a lavender carpet and a royal trumpet salute, Trump met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to reaffirm U.S.-Saudi ties, calling their relationship a “bedrock of security and prosperity.”
The president, who previously visited Saudi Arabia as his first foreign destination in 2017, praised bin Salman as a “friend” and “wise beyond his years.” During their bilateral meeting at the Royal Court, Trump said, “Today, we reaffirmed this important bond, and we take the next steps to make our relationship closer, stronger and more powerful than ever before.” The Saudis hosted an elaborate dinner in Dir’iyah to honor the American president, underscoring the symbolic weight of the visit.
$600 Billion Deal: The Largest U.S.-Saudi Defense Sales in History
At the summit, the White House unveiled what it described as the “largest defense sales agreement in history” — a $600 billion investment deal from Saudi Arabia that includes military procurement, infrastructure, and high-tech collaborations. The defense agreement includes extensive U.S. training support, modernization of the Saudi armed forces, and upgrades to military medical services and service academies.
Donald Trump and bin Salman also signed several new accords, including partnerships between the U.S. Department of Justice and the Saudi Ministry of Justice, and between the FBI and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior. Business leaders including Elon Musk, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, and Citigroup’s Jane Fraser were also in attendance. “They’re going to walk away from here with a lot of checks,” Trump quipped during a business luncheon with the delegation.
Rewriting the Middle East Narrative: Donald Trump‘s Rebuke of “Nation Building”
In his keynote address, Donald Trump credited Saudi Arabia with achieving a “modern miracle the Arabian way,” rejecting Western-led efforts at “nation building.” He sharply criticized previous U.S. administrations, particularly President Joe Biden’s, for imposing values through interventionist policies. “This great transformation has not come from western intervention or people flying in beautiful planes giving lectures,” Trump said. “The so-called nation builders wrecked far more nations than they built.”
The president emphasized that the Middle East’s progress must stem from within, and held Saudi Arabia up as a model for regional development. “Riyadh is becoming not just a seat of government, but a major business, cultural and high-tech capital of the entire world,” he added. The speech was widely interpreted as a repudiation of liberal foreign policy traditions and a clear pivot to economic diplomacy and strongman alliances.
Business Ties and Diplomatic Ambitions Amid Global Tensions
Donald Trump’s personal business connections to the kingdom were also in the spotlight. The Trump Organization has announced plans to construct Trump Tower in Jeddah and is exploring another branded property in Riyadh. His son, Eric Trump, has confirmed further expansion plans in the region.
Donald Trump’s visit came amid sensitive geopolitical developments, including negotiations over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. In private talks with MBS, the two leaders reportedly discussed stabilizing oil markets and regional security. Trump also declared his intention to lift sanctions on the new government in Syria, saying, “I say good luck, Syria. Show us something special.”
Qatar’s Presidential Jet Gift and the Road Ahead
Later this week, Trump will continue his Middle East tour with visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. In an unexpected twist, Qatar’s royal family has offered to donate a Boeing 747 jet for Donald Trump’s presidential use. The president defended the move, saying on Truth Social, “It is a gift from a Nation, Qatar, that we have successfully defended for many years. It will be used as a temporary Air Force One.”
Trump’s second-term foreign policy appears increasingly focused on forging strategic economic alliances in the Middle East. By cementing a record-breaking defense deal and renewing his relationship with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, the president signaled a robust commitment to realigning America’s interests away from traditional European partners and toward a business-forward, power-centric model of diplomacy in the Gulf.
