Trump’s first major trip of his new term began with a high-powered meeting in Saudi Arabia, where he and top American CEOs joined Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to pursue major investments and strategic agreements. The trip could reshape U.S. economic ties in the region—but key security and ethical questions remain.
Key Facts:
- President Donald Trump met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Tuesday to launch a major foreign tour.
- Top CEOs including Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Larry Fink, and Andy Jassy attended the gathering at the Saudi royal court.
- Saudi Arabia has pledged $600 billion in U.S.-bound investments, with Trump suggesting it could grow to $1 trillion.
- Trump will headline the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum during the trip, featuring top U.S. and Saudi officials and investors.
- The trip includes additional visits to Qatar and the UAE for high-level meetings and military site inspections.
The Rest of The Story:
President Trump’s Middle East visit marks a bold bid to deepen economic ties between the United States and Gulf nations.
In Riyadh, Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greeted a group of America’s top business leaders at the Saudi royal court ahead of a hosted lunch.
Among the executives in attendance were Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, BlackRock’s Larry Fink, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, IBM’s Arvind Krishna, Citicorp’s Jane Fraser, Boeing’s Kelly Ortberg, NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang, and Palantir’s Alex Karp.
Several of these figures—such as Musk, Jassy, Fink, and Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman—are also listed as featured speakers for the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum.
The forum, held at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, is timed with Trump’s visit and promotes nearly a century of Saudi-U.S. relations.
Trump and bin Salman are expected to discuss economic partnerships and broader defense ties, including a potential civil nuclear program.
On Wednesday, Trump will attend a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting before flying to Qatar to meet Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and visit U.S. forces at Al Udeid Air Base.
His final stop will be Abu Dhabi on Thursday for meetings with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
President Trump arrives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and is greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. 🇺🇸🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/4XeT1XXgT2
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 13, 2025
Commentary:
Trump’s Gulf tour is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when business, diplomacy, and national interest align.
The sight of CEOs like Elon Musk and Larry Fink speaking with the Saudi crown prince underscores just how serious the U.S. is about reclaiming leadership in global commerce.
A $600 billion pledge from Saudi Arabia is no small feat.
If Trump’s prediction of a $1 trillion commitment proves accurate, it could transform American industry and bolster energy independence and innovation in sectors like AI and clean tech.
However, these opportunities cannot come at the expense of national security or moral clarity.
While economic gains are welcome, they must be balanced against the need to protect U.S. allies—especially Israel—and hold Saudi Arabia accountable for any links to extremism financing.
The Trump administration previously brokered the Abraham Accords.
Any new talks about nuclear cooperation or defense pacts should build on those foundations, not ignore them.
Pushing for normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel remains a worthy goal that would strengthen regional stability.
The inclusion of U.S. military site visits, like Al Udeid Air Base, also reinforces the importance of American strength in the region.
It reminds Gulf allies that the U.S. is not retreating, but re-engaging with purpose.
The challenge now is to ensure that this economic and diplomatic momentum doesn’t lead to blind compromise.
It must be guided by core values, respect for human rights, and a clear-eyed understanding of Iran’s ongoing threat.
A best-case outcome would include real investment into the U.S. economy, a meaningful check on Iranian aggression, and genuine progress toward peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
If Trump can pull that off—while keeping America’s interests front and center—it would be a legacy-defining achievement.
The Bottom Line:
Trump’s latest Middle East tour is more than symbolic—it’s strategic.
With major CEOs in tow and hundreds of billions on the table, the potential for economic growth is real.
But the path forward must include more than dollars.
It must defend Israel, confront Iran, and demand accountability from nations that still harbor extremists.
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