Trump heads to Gulf seeking $1 trillion in investment and deals

US President Donald Trump is aiming to secure up to $1 trillion in investment pledges and business deals during visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, according to US and Arab officials.

The trip, described by one Arab official as focused on “business, business, and business,” places economic interests ahead of geopolitical aims. While Trump has previously pushed for a normalisation deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel, officials acknowledge that the ongoing war in Gaza makes such an agreement unlikely at this time, Caliber.Az writes per foreign media. 

Trump, who made Riyadh the destination of his first foreign trip during his initial term, is returning to the region with a renewed emphasis on economic cooperation.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has pledged $600 billion in new investments in the United States over the next four years. Trump, speaking in March, said he requested $1 trillion in total investments over four years in return for his visit. 

“Last time they put up $450 billion,” he said. “But this time they have gotten richer... So I said, ‘I will go if you pay $1 trillion,’ and they agreed.”

Deals expected to be announced in Saudi Arabia include at least $100 billion in military sales along with significant energy and minerals agreements.

In Qatar, investment announcements totalling $200–300 billion are anticipated, including a major commercial aircraft deal with Boeing and a $2 billion purchase of MQ-9 Reaper drones, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

Qatar is also reportedly considering gifting Trump a Boeing 747 jumbo jet to serve as a temporary Air Force One, pending legal and defence review. Trump posted on Truth Social that the aircraft would be “a gift, free of charge.”

The UAE, meanwhile, has already committed to investing $1.4 trillion in the US over the next decade, a pledge made earlier this year.

Beyond government deals, Trump and his associates maintain deep business ties across the Gulf. The Trump Organization recently announced a new luxury real estate project in Qatar, adding to its ongoing developments in Dubai, Jeddah, and Oman.

A key focus of the trip will be investment in technology and artificial intelligence. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is expected to travel to the Gulf this week, alongside other tech leaders including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who will speak at the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh on May 13.

By Sabina Mammadli