U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to make his first visit to the Middle East since assuming office, from May 13 to 16, with stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
The U.S. State Department, in a video shared on its Arabic account on X, conveyed that the visit underscored the significance the United States attributes to its strategic partnerships with its Middle Eastern allies.
Tammy Bruce, Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, tweeted that U.S. Secretary of States Marco Rubio will join the U.S. President during his trip to the Middle East to strengthen ties between the United States and our Gulf partners. According to Bruce, their travel will increase economic prosperity by expanding bilateral trade and investment while reaffirming our strategic partnerships.
Following the President’s Middle East trip, Rubio will then head to Türkiye to attend an informal NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14 to 16.
Trump to finalize $1 trillion investment agreements
In early March, Trump stated that his trip to Saudi Arabia would be to seal an investment agreement worth around $1 trillion in the U.S. economy, including purchases of military equipment. He indicated that similar agreements would be signed in Qatar and the UAE.
“Tremendous jobs will be created in those two or three days,” Trump said.
In late January this year, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia Crown Prince and Prime Minister, held a phone call with Trump where he affirmed the Kingdom’s intention to broaden its investments and trade with the U.S. over the next four years with an amount of $600 billion, and potentially beyond that.
The two leaders discussed ways for cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the U.S. to promote peace, security and stability in the Middle East, in addition to enhancing bilateral cooperation to combat terrorism. They also discussed ways to enhance bilateral ties in various areas. Prince Mohammed noted the U.S. administration’s ability to create unprecedented economic prosperity and opportunity through anticipated reforms, stating that Saudi Arabia seeks to participate in these opportunities for partnership and investment.
Read more: Trump to visit Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar as White House confirms mid-May plans
$600 billion pledge
Following Saudi Arabia’s pledge, the Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim said that the $600 billion pledge of expanded investment and trade with the U.S. committed by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will include investments and procurement from the public and private sectors.
“This number represents investments, procurement, public and private sector, and it’s just a mirror reflection of the strong relationship,” Alibrahim said during his participation in a panel at Davos 2025 when he was asked if the Kingdom would increase the figure to $1 trillion, as Trump suggested to the forum on Thursday.
“What we’ll spend in the economy from the start of Vision 2030 to 2030 is 12 times that number,” Alibrahim added.
UAE’s aspirations to invest $1.4 trillion
Similarly, in March, the White House revealed that the UAE had expressed aspirations to invest $1.4 trillion in U.S.-based artificial intelligence infrastructure, semiconductors, manufacturing, and natural gas production over the coming decade. This announcement followed Trump’s meeting with Emirati national security adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed at the White House.
