President Donald Trump returned to Washington from the first major trip of his second term with significant agreements in place. The deals struck in the Middle East mark historic moments for both the U.S. and its partners in the region. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar have all committed to increasing their investments in the U.S., similar to deals Trump has pushed for with U.S. partners across the globe.
In Saudi Arabia, the agreements include a $600 billion investment package, with major tech companies like Google, Uber, Salesforce, and AMD committing to invest $80 billion in joint technological ventures. The U.S. and Saudi Arabia also signed agreements to develop critical infrastructure projects, including the King Salman International Airport and King Salman Park, with projections of generating $2 billion in U.S. service exports. The administration predicts the projects will generate a total of $2 billion in U.S. service exports.
American companies will also take on major projects in Saudi Arabia, including the King Salman International Airport, King Salman Park, The Vault and Qiddiya City, according to the White House. The administration predicts the projects will generate a total of $2 billion in U.S. service exports. Additionally, several U.S. government departments will begin coordinating with Saudi government ministries, including the U.S. Department of Energy and the Ministry of Energy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as NASA and the Saudi Space Agency.
Trump was also able to secure an agreement that would allow the U.S. to carry cargo between Saudi Arabia and third-party countries without stopping in the U.S., which the White House said is an important right for cargo hub operations.
Meanwhile, Trump’s deals with Qatar, while highly controversial, include a $1.2 trillion economic commitment, with the U.S. selling American-made aircraft and securing defense contracts worth billions. The White House also touted a defense deal that will “lock in Qatar’s procurement of state-of-the-art military equipment from two leading U.S. defense companies.” The two countries also agreed to a multibillion-dollar agreement to strengthen their security partnership.
The UAE, meanwhile, secured $200 billion in commercial deals, including a significant investment in U.S. manufacturing and energy partnerships with major international firms. The UAE and the U.S. also reached energy agreements in which the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company will partner with ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum, and EOG Resources to expand oil and natural gas production. The White House said in a statement that the deal is expected to “help lower energy costs and create hundreds of skilled jobs in both countries.” The deals made during Trump’s trip to Abu Dhabi are set to expedite a commitment the UAE made in March to a 10-year, $1.4 trillion investment framework in the U.S., which covered a range of industries, including energy and AI.
However, not all of Trump’s agreements were met with approval. The deals with Qatar, in particular, drew criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, with concerns over the potential use of a Qatari-provided jet for Air Force One and the nation’s support for groups like Hamas. Senate leaders such as Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders raised concerns about the implications of the agreement, with Cruz citing espionage risks and Sanders questioning the constitutionality of the deal.
Despite the controversies, the agreements represent a significant boost to U.S. economic interests and international partnerships. The combined total of the deals with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar is expected to have a substantial financial impact, creating job opportunities, fostering technological innovation, and strengthening the U.S. presence in the global energy market.