Starting With Saudi Arabia: Inside Day One of Trump’s Middle East Tour
U.S. President Donald Trump kicked off his four-day Middle East tour on May 13, 2025, starting in Riyadh. His stops also include Qatar and the UAE. The visit’s focus is on billion-dollar investment deals, new defense agreements, and a regional strategy pivot, which are clarified below.
Saudi Arabia to Invest $600 Billion in the U.S.
At the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum in Riyadh, Trump, along with major U.S. business figures like Elon Musk, Andy Jassy (Amazon), Jane Fraser (Citigroup), Jensen Huang (Nvidia), and Sam Altman (OpenAI), met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
It was announced that Saudi Arabia will invest $600 billion over the next four years in key U.S. sectors, including energy, defense, technology, infrastructure, and critical minerals.
“This Is a New Saudi Arabia”: Women’s Roles & Economic Shifts Spotlighted
Arab News reported that Saudi Ambassador Princess Reema bint Bandar highlighted the Kingdom’s transformation since Trump’s last visit in 2017.
She emphasized that non-oil sectors now account for 50% of GDP, and women make up nearly 40% of the workforce, many in leadership roles.
“It is a dynamic society where youths are pioneering the future and women are at the forefront of the Vision,” she wrote in The Washington Times.
US-Saudi Nuclear Deal Talks
Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed a civil nuclear deal that would let Saudi Arabia enrich uranium under U.S. oversight.
Over $100 Billion in Arms Deals
The two countries are also exploring over $100 billion in potential arms deals, according to Reuters.
These would expand on the 2017–2018 agreements that helped Saudi Arabia manufacture weapons locally.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a 2018 report by Arab News that these agreements would help enhance Saudi Arabia’s security and benefit both the U.S. and Saudi economies.
A Sign of a Stronger US-Saudi Alliance
Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud noted that President Trump’s 2025 return to Riyadh signals a deepening of the US–Saudi partnership. She emphasized that “almost every major global challenge is being addressed through a strong Saudi-U.S. alliance.”
Building on the $400 billion investment deal signed in 2018, the 2025 tour strengthens this longstanding partnership, focusing on cementing economic and strategic interdependence for the future.
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