On Friday, President Donald Trump wrapped up a triumphant trip to the Middle East. This trip was Trump’s first overseas visit to the Middle East during his second term, setting a precedent for prioritizing Gulf nations (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE) early in his administration.
He received a lavish Saudi welcome, where he was greeted personally by the Saudi Crown Prince, with a royal-purple-carpet ceremony, a 21-gun salute, and F-15 jet escorts for Air Force One.
The Saudi Crown Prince did not meet President Biden at the airport during his prior visit.
Saudi Arabia Hosts Grand Welcoming Ceremony for President Trump in Riyadh pic.twitter.com/cSfZE9uBvV
— I Meme Therefore I Am (@ImMeme0) May 13, 2025
President Trump also became the first U.S. president to meet with Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former jihadist leader, during a summit in Riyadh, marking a historic engagement with Syria’s new government.
During the meeting, Preisent Trump also announced the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria’s new government.
President Trump oversay the first major U.S.-UAE partnership to establish a 5GW AI campus, a groundbreaking deal for AI infrastructure in the Gulf, valued at part of a $200 billion investment.
While not finalized, Trump’s direct encouragement of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to join the Abraham Accords marked his first public diplomatic push for Saudi-Israeli normalization since returning to office.
The trip also ushered in major ecomomic aggreements. Trump secured deals exceeding $3 trillion across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, including a $600 billion Saudi investment in U.S. industries like AI, defense, and energy, and a $200 billion Qatar deal for 160 Boeing jets.
.@realDonaldTrump touched down in the UAE for his massive Middle East tour — and he made yet another deal.
The Emiratis laid it on thick — giving Trump a hero’s welcome and putting their money where their mouth is with a $1.4 trillion investment in America.
47’s getting so much… pic.twitter.com/zHrGY5ML8g
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) May 16, 2025
President Trump gave a powerful speech promoting peace in the Middle East and vowing new economic partnerships which was met by thunderous applause and a standing ovation.
Just look at the optics from Trump’s speech today.
Bin Salman and the entire crowd give an uproarious standing ovation after Trump promotes peace in the Middle East and new economic partnerships.
If Trump continues on this trajectory, the midterms will be a bloodbath. pic.twitter.com/OIuNfsrZ8a
— Clandestine (@WarClandestine) May 13, 2025
In the first time in history, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi was shut down for his visit.
President Trump at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.
They shut down the Mosque for his special visit — the first time it has ever been closed for anyone in history. Historic moment! pic.twitter.com/BS09jHDPCh
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) May 15, 2025
They pullled out all the stops for the visit including lighting up the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, in red, white, and blue.
The Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, just saluted America and President Trump—in red, white, and blue. pic.twitter.com/5Re68HySu2
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 15, 2025
President Trump shared some of the highlights of the trip at Truth Social.
