US President Donald Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to begin a four-day tour of the Gulf region, with a focus on economic agreements rather than regional security crises, including the war in Gaza and the growing tension over Iran’s nuclear program.
Accompanied by prominent American business leaders – including Tesla CEO and Trump adviser Elon Musk – Trump will visit Riyadh first, the site of the Saudi-US Investment Forum. He is scheduled to travel to Qatar on Wednesday and the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.
“While energy remains a cornerstone of our relationship, the investments and business opportunities in the kingdom have expanded and multiplied many, many times over,” Saudi Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih said as he opened the forum.
“As a result... when Saudis and Americans join forces, very good things happen – more often than not, great things happen when those joint ventures happen,” he added, speaking ahead of Trump’s arrival.
The forum began with a video montage featuring soaring eagles and falcons, celebrating the longstanding relationship between the United States and the kingdom.
Seated at the front of a palatial hall were BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Blackstone CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan, and al-Falih.
Saudi Arabia and the United States have enjoyed decades of strong ties, anchored by a longstanding agreement in which the kingdom supplies oil and the superpower provides security.
Trump may also travel to Turkey on Thursday for potential face-to-face talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
This marks Trump’s second foreign trip since taking office again – his first was to Rome for Pope Francis’s funeral – and it comes amid escalating geopolitical tensions.
In addition to pursuing a resolution to the war in Ukraine, his administration is advocating a new aid mechanism for Gaza and urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a new ceasefire.
Over the weekend, US and Iranian negotiators met in Oman to discuss a potential deal aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Trump has warned that military action remains on the table if diplomacy fails.
Nonetheless, barring the possible side trip to Turkey, these issues are not the main focus of Trump’s Middle East itinerary.
The US, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE are expected to announce joint investments that could reach into the trillions of dollars. In January, Saudi Arabia pledged $600 billion in investments in the US over the next four years, but Trump has stated he will request a full trillion.
Alongside Musk, business figures such as Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser and BlackRock’s Fink are expected to join the trip.
Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are also traveling with the president.
During the Riyadh leg of the tour, Trump is expected to offer Saudi Arabia an arms deal worth well over $100 billion, sources told Reuters. The package could include advanced weaponry, such as C-130 transport aircraft.
Israel-Saudi normalization topic to be avoided during Trump's visit
The topic of normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel is expected to be avoided during this visit, sources said, despite Trump viewing such an agreement as a key regional objective.
Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said last week he expected imminent progress on expanding the Abraham Accords – a series of agreements brokered during Trump’s first term, under which countries such as the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco recognized Israel.
However, Netanyahu’s opposition to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza or the creation of a Palestinian state makes further normalization talks with Riyadh unlikely, according to sources.
Trump’s visits to Qatar and the UAE are also expected to emphasize economic cooperation.
In Qatar, the royal family is reportedly planning to gift Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft, intended for eventual use as Air Force One. The arrangement has drawn scrutiny from ethics experts.
Trump is expected to donate the plane to his presidential library after completing his term.