President Donald Trump’s May 2025 tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) marked a pivotal moment in US foreign policy, signalling a seismic shift toward transactional diplomacy and a redefined global order. By prioritizing economic deals over ideological commitments, sidelining traditional allies like Israel, and engaging with controversial regimes, Trump’s trip underscored a pragmatic, and polarizing, vision for American influence in a multipolar world. Here’s how this visit reflects the contours of a new geopolitical paradigm.
Trump’s trip was dominated by high stakes dealmaking, with Gulf states pledging over 2 trillion in investments, defence contracts, and technology partnerships. Saudi Arabia alone committed 600 billion, including $142 billion in military procurements and AI infrastructure projects with US firms like Google and Nvidia. Qatar and the UAE followed suit, securing agreements ranging from Boeing jet purchases to AI data centres. These deals, framed as mutual economic wins, highlighted Trump’s preference for transactional relationships over traditional alliances rooted in shared democratic values. Notably, human rights concerns, such as Saudi Arabia’s role in the Jamal Khashoggi murder or Qatar’s labour abuses, were conspicuously absent from discussions, reflecting a deliberate pivot toward “commerce over chaos”.
This approach aligns with Trump’s long-standing “America First” ethos, which prioritizes immediate economic gains and bilateral agreements over multilateral frameworks. By leveraging Gulf wealth to boost US industries, Trump sought to position America as a dominant player in emerging sectors like AI and clean energy, countering China’s growing influence in the region.
One of the most striking aspects of the trip was the omission of Israel from Trump’s itinerary, a departure from decades of US diplomatic tradition. This exclusion mirrored broader tensions between the Trump administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, particularly over Gaza and Palestinian statehood. While Trump had previously championed the Abraham Accords to normalize Arab Israeli relations, his second-term focus shifted toward courting Saudi Arabia and Gulf states independently, despite Riyadh’s insistence on Palestinian concessions as a precondition for normalization.
Simultaneously, Trump made a controversial overture to Syria, lifting US sanctions imposed since 1979 and meeting with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda affiliate. This move, driven by Saudi and Turkish pressure, aimed to integrate Syria into a US-aligned bloc to counter Iranian and Russian influence. However, critics warn that legitimizing the HTS-led regime risks empowering extremists and undermining regional stability.
Trump’s Iran policy during the trip exemplified his blend of coercion and negotiation. While reiterating threats of “maximum pressure” to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, he also expressed openness to a diplomatic deal, provided Iran accepts stringent monitoring. This dual strategy reflects Trump’s desire to claim a foreign policy victory while appeasing Gulf allies wary of Iranian aggression. However, Supreme Leader Khamenei’s rejection of talks and ongoing Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping underscore the fragility of this approach.
Despite Trump’s efforts to sideline the Israeli Palestinian conflict, the war in Gaza loomed large. Saudi Arabia, facing domestic outrage over civilian casualties, has doubled down on demands for Palestinian statehood, complicating normalization prospects. Trump’s vague proposal to transform Gaza into a US-supervised “freedom zone” drew condemnation as a potential pretext for ethnic cleansing, further alienating Arab partners. Meanwhile, cuts to UNRWA funding threaten humanitarian crises, exacerbating regional instability.
Trump’s Middle East strategy epitomizes a broader shift in global power dynamics. By embracing autocratic regimes, deprioritizing human rights, and focusing on economic nationalism, the US is retreating from its post-Cold War role as a moral leader. Instead, Trump’s transactional model, echoed by China and Russia, emphasizes short-term gains and bilateral partnerships, eroding the liberal international order.
For Gulf states, this realignment offers opportunities to leverage their economic clout and mediate regional conflicts, as seen in Saudi-led cease-fire efforts in Yemen and Sudan. Yet the risks are equally profound: reliance on volatile US policies, escalating tensions with Iran, and the erosion of multilateral institutions critical for long-term stability.
Trump’s Middle East tour reveals a world order increasingly defined by pragmatism, where economic interests trump ideological alliances, and regional powers like Saudi Arabia and the UAE wield unprecedented influence. While this approach may yield immediate financial dividends, its long-term viability hinges on navigating complex conflicts, managing great-power rivalries, and addressing the unresolved grievances of marginalized populations. As the US cements its role as a dealmaker rather than a moral arbiter, the Middle East, and the world, must grapple with the consequences of this bold, contentious vision.
