Trump kicks off Middle East trip with eyes on Saudi investment, oil stability; what's on agenda?

US President Donald Trump kicked off a four-day trip to the Middle East on Tuesday by paying a visit to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler often known by his initials MBS.

Trump was greeted at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport by MBS before the duo sat for an initial meeting flanked by portraits of Saudi royals.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also present at the meeting.

They are expected to hold discussions on dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, ending the Gaza war, stabilising oil prices, and securing major economic investments.

Trump will push for Saudi Arabia’s $1 trillion investment in US industries, building on a previously announced $600 billion pledge, though Riyadh has not confirmed the figure. Economic cooperation, including new arms sales, energy security, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, are all on the table.

He is also expected to propose a US-backed framework to end the war in Gaza and revive normalisation talks between Saudi Arabia and Israel under the Abraham Accords, which saw the UAE and Bahrain establish ties with Israel during Trump’s first term. Talks with Riyadh were paused following Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, and Saudi officials have since tied normalisation to progress on a two-state solution for Palestinians.

The Trump administration, however, has shifted from previous US policy by decoupling normalisation from Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear ambitions, which have raised concerns in Israel.

The White House also plans to announce more than $100 billion in US arms sales to Saudi Arabia, including missiles, radar systems, and transport aircraft.

Trump’s team says cheap oil and expanded US-Saudi energy cooperation are key to curbing inflation and weakening Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.

After attending a US-Saudi investment forum and a meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders on Wednesday, Trump will travel to Qatar for a high-profile stop.

There, he is expected to meet Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and finalise discussions on what could be the largest foreign gift to a sitting US administration: a $400 million Boeing 747-8 aircraft to temporarily replace Air Force One.

The Qatari government confirmed it has discussed the aircraft’s “possible transfer” with the US Department of Defense.

Trump defended the arrangement on social media, calling it a “cost-saving measure,” though critics warn it could raise legal and ethical questions.

Trump will conclude his trip Thursday in the United Arab Emirates, where he will meet President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Talks are expected to focus on technology and manufacturing investments. In March, the UAE announced a $1.4 trillion investment plan over the next decade, targeting US sectors such as semiconductors, AI, and energy.

Trump is also expected to roll back Biden-era export controls on advanced technologies, a move that would boost the UAE’s ambitions to become a global artificial intelligence leader by 2031.

The three countries on Trump’s itinerary—Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE—are also home to major real estate projects by the Trump Organization, run by the president’s two eldest sons.