1. Saudi Arabia Pledges $600 Billion as Trump Returns to the Gulf
On his first international tour of his second term, President Donald Trump received a grand welcome in Saudi Arabia, highlighted by a $600 billion investment pledge from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The visit, held at the luxurious Ritz Carlton in Riyadh, featured military escorts, red carpets, and a signing ceremony attended by prominent business figures, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Among the deals announced, nearly $142 billion will go toward U.S. arms purchases—deemed by the White House as the largest weapons deal in history. Additionally, Saudi company DataVolt committed to investing $20 billion in U.S.-based AI infrastructure, while American tech giants such as Google plan to expand operations in both countries.
Trump praised the deals as job creators, claiming they could result in two million U.S. jobs. In a lighthearted moment, he joked with the Crown Prince, saying, “$600 billion is great, but it should be $1 trillion.” The warm atmosphere marks a sharp contrast to the cooler approach seen during the Biden administration.
2. Shifting Regional Alliances and Saudi Arabia’s Image Makeover
Trump’s warm rapport with the Gulf monarchies—Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE—has been central to his foreign policy, especially amid criticisms from Western allies. The Saudis have actively sought to reposition themselves globally, moving beyond oil into AI and diplomacy. Since the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Kingdom has introduced reforms including relaxed restrictions on women and increased foreign engagement.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has leveraged the return of Trump to deepen Saudi-American ties. In a symbolic moment, Trump reminisced about their first meeting and commended the prince’s foresight and leadership.
The Saudi capital has also become a diplomatic hub, hosting U.S.-led efforts to engage Russia and Ukraine, while simultaneously contributing to ongoing peace talks related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Qatar and the UAE, too, are asserting broader global influence in parallel efforts.
3. Israel’s Growing Friction with Trump’s Iran Strategy
While Saudi Arabia deepens ties with the United States, Israel finds itself at odds with Trump’s revived diplomatic efforts toward Iran. As indirect U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations resumed in Oman, Israeli officials, including Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and President Isaac Herzog, emphasized the potential need for military intervention.
Israel opposes Trump’s efforts to revive or renegotiate the 2015 nuclear deal, which was previously dismantled by the Trump administration in 2018. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that no deal should permit Iran to enrich uranium domestically.
Intelligence and geopolitical experts believe Israel may see a window to act militarily, especially after reportedly damaging Iranian defense systems and amid Hezbollah’s weakened position post-2024 conflicts. Analysts warn that any Israeli strike would implicitly require U.S. backing, placing Trump in a difficult balancing act between diplomacy and defense guarantees.
Israel’s leadership remains cautious not to openly clash with the Trump administration but is increasingly vocal about concerns that a new deal with Iran could leave them vulnerable.
