Riyadh’s cards for a 4-day Gulf Tour
US President Donald Trump has landed in Saudi Arabia to kick off a four-day trek across the Gulf region. His focus appears to be on economic agreements, while security issues like the Gaza conflict and concerns surrounding Iran’s nuclear program linger in the background.
Accompanying Trump are notable business figures, including Tesla CEO and advisor Elon Musk, along with BlackRock’s Larry Fink and Citigroup’s Jane Fraser. Also on this journey are Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Pete Hegseth, which adds a significant political dimension to the trip.
First on the agenda is a stop in Riyadh, where the Saudi-US Investment Forum will take place. Following Riyadh, Trump is scheduled to travel to Qatar on Wednesday and the UAE on Thursday.
During his Riyadh visit, sources indicate that Trump may propose an arms deal for Saudi Arabia, exceeding $100 billion and possibly involving advanced weaponry.
In other news:
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Trump has responded to criticisms regarding the acceptance of a $400 million plane gift from Qatar’s royal family, intended to replace Air Force One. He argued that rejecting such a gift would be “silly,” framing it as a “very public and transparent transaction.”
