Jumbo Jets, Megadeals and Flattery: Trump’s Gulf Tour

When the village of the village Ymca was nailed to the ballroom, Prince Colonel Mohammed Bin Salman went on stage where Donald Trump had just gave a speech with the presentation of his presidency and the superlatives describing the “incredible” Royal Saudi.

With huge Saudi and North -American flags behind, a Mohammed Prince shook the United States President, while Trump grabbed the heir’s shoulder. “I really like it,” Trump said. “I like too much.”

It was a hug that epitomized Trump’s tenor of the rich oil rich golf, with stops in Saudi Arabia and even richer Qatar and the United Arab Emirates: a four -day Jambore of opulent ceremonies, and, above all, a gluttine of petrodollar offers with the transactional president.

“Are we doing a good job so far in America?” Trump said as he walked through the conference center. “They are just contributing a trillion dollars.”

As with Trump often, there seemed to be a lot of hyperbole, which makes it difficult to separate the fact of fiction. The White House said that $ 600 million was agreed in offers, including a $ 142 million weapons agreement, as well as artificial intelligence and energy investments.

Within less than $ 300 million, the real agreements on the list reached half this figure, although Prince Mohammed said that the plan in the coming months was to increase it up to $ 1.

The President of the United States had made no secret that the economic agreements were the focus of the visit after choosing the Autocratic Gulf, more than the western -American allies, for the first foreign tour of their second term, knowing that there would be no talks or rates or commercial wars or public challenges in their world vision.

Combined, the three states of Golf manage more than 3 TN in sovereignist wealth funds and are traditional United States traditional partners who have historically sought Washington’s safety and are major American weapons buyers.

Each has ambitious leaders who want to project their states in the global scenario, as they pursue high domestic development goals that include pouring tens of thousands of dollars to North -American technology, particularly AI, as they seek to develop new industries and reduce their dependence on fossil fuels.

Frustrated with the US policies swings, have long wanted a greater commitment to Washington in trade and security, and have been actively judging Trump from their first term, adopting their transactional style, even if they care about their unforeseen events.

But the journey also took place in a context of the Trump family self-task that raised Hackles at home. In front of the trip this month, the Trump organization, led by President Eric’s son, launched a hotel in Dubai and reached a real estate agreement with a state company in Qatari.

For weeks, United States and Gulf teams made details of what bids could be sensed, ensuring that the tone of the visit was established at the moment when the Air Force One, escorted by six Saudi Hunting aircraft, was touched in Riyadh on Tuesday morning.

Prince Mohammed broke the Saudi protocol to greet Trump at the airport and stroll through a lavender carpet surrounded by a honor guard. It was a strong contrast to the welcome, which greeted President Joe Biden, who exchanged an uncomfortable punch with Prince Mohammed in his visit in 2022.

On Wednesday, Trump was welcomed by Doha from Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar: More hunting hunting escorts and more honors.

Trump revealed -in the royal pomp and the obvious wealth, marveling at the “perfect” marble of a palace and camels mounted by members of the royal guard.

“I appreciate those camels,” he said. “I haven’t seen camels like this for a long time.”

Qatar, one of the richest nations in the world in terms per capita, was also delivered to the front. The White House announced agreements worth more than $ 243 million, including Qatar, which acquired 210 Jets Boeing, which Trump took was the biggest jet order in the history of the North -American Company.

There was also a seemingly aspirational line about an agreement with Qatar to generate a “economic exchange” worth at least 1.2 TN of dollars, as the White House kept the numbers to support the “first” investment policy of Trump. But again, he did not give details or deadlines on how to reach the figure – equivalent to more than 500 percent of the annual Gulf CDP.

A Qatari official said he included all the expected trade between the two countries, such as energy sales, weapons offers and other investments over the next ten years. It includes an intention of Qatar Investment Authority, the $ 450 million sovereignist wealth fund, to invest $ 500 million in the United States for the next decade.

The “qatari gift” was not mentioned, which had shocked the controversy at the head of the trip: Doha’s offer to provide the United States a luxurious Jet Jumbo to temporarily replace the air force.

But Trump was in a good mood, as he compared the Sheikh Tamim to Prince Muhammad Saudi as “tall and handsome boys who are very smart.”

The most significant diplomatic advance was courtesy of a different “young” leader: Ahmed al-SharaaSyrian President and former Islamist rebel leader Trump found after a surprise announcement that the United States would raise sanctions in the country destroyed by the war.

However, there was little public attention to the 19 -month war in Gaza. Sheikh Tamim made Trump a supplication to help end the war during a banquet on one of his palaces, saying that he was “the key to the widest stability in the region.”

“Time is short. The people of the whole region do not look at words, but the results,” he said. “They are waiting to see if this moment brings this peace.”

But the emir focused on Trump’s favorite subject, investments in the United States, with the president who made the “perfect evening”. After all, the north -American singer Lee Greenwood, who sang “Bless the USA, has been, in the end, will be for him and other guests.

On Thursday, it was the turn of the Arab Emirates to launch the proverbial red carpet as Trump landed in Abu Dhabi. There he was attended by President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, knowing that the United Arab Emirates had already committed themselves to invest 1.4 TN in the United States for the next decade.

“We will be your friend and we will be your partner,” Trump told the Emirates leader. “We will treat you, as you should be: magnificently.”

Hours later, the White House announced offers with the Arab Emirates united with $ 200 million, including Jets Boeing, energy projects and technology.

Emile Hokayem, at the International Institute of Strategic Studies, said that Gulf and Trump states are similar in many ways: “They are good in superlative, overcoming and inflating and large promising.”

“They achieve results, but they are surprised. Much is for their demonstration, but the topic is that the two parties won what they wanted: visibility, the exchange of goodwill, mutual validation,” said Hokayem. “There is a hyperbole everywhere, but although 50 percent materializes, it is still a great victory for them.”