Trump went to Saudi Arabia to develop economic diplomacy
Trump went to Saudi Arabia to develop economic diplomacy
Donald Trump, the President of the United States, began his four-day trip to the Middle East on Tuesday by arriving in Riyadh. He was officially welcomed at King Khalid International Airport by Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
This reception is considered unprecedented and, compared to the visit of former U.S. President Joe Biden, it was beyond expectations and much more magnificent.
The presence of Mohammed bin Salman at the foot of the U.S. President’s plane to welcome Donald Trump, which is contrary to the usual Saudi protocols, indicates the very close relationship between Trump and the Saudi Crown Prince, as well as the deep ties between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia during Trump’s tenure.
This trip is considered Trump’s first major foreign visit in his second term as President. He has dedicated his first international trip to the Middle East and Saudi Arabia.
Trump has informed his advisors that he intends to sign agreements worth more than 1 trillion dollars with the Gulf Arab countries during this trip.
Some sources say that Saudi Arabia has prepared agreements worth about 1 trillion dollars, and the United Arab Emirates has prepared agreements worth about 14 trillion dollars for signing by the parties.
These agreements include investments in the fields of artificial intelligence, energy production, and the purchase of weapons worth billions of dollars from American manufacturers.
In Riyadh, he will participate in an investment conference attended by senior executives of American companies, including IBM, BlackRock, Citigroup, Palantir, and Qualcomm.
Additionally, Elon Musk, the richest man in the world and one of the most prominent IT sector figures, who is considered one of Donald Trump’s closest associates, is also accompanying him on this trip.
Simultaneously with this trip, the Trump family is expanding their business activities in the region.
The Trump Organization has launched major projects in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
This overlap between family business activities and Trump’s governmental responsibilities has raised concerns about conflicts of interest and adherence to ethical principles.
While Trump is visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates on this trip, Israel is not included in his travel itinerary.
This indicates increasing tensions between the two sides over the Gaza war and nuclear negotiations with Iran. Trump has also supported the ceasefire agreement with the Yemeni Houthis, an action that has faced criticism from Israel.
The Israelis believe that their interests were not considered in the agreement reached between the U.S. and the Houthis, especially since the agreement was reached on the same day that Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv was targeted by Houthi missiles.
One of the controversial topics of this trip is the gift of a luxurious Boeing 747-8 airplane worth 400 million dollars from the Qatari royal family to Trump.
This airplane is intended to be used as a replacement for Air Force One and is to be donated to his presidential library after the end of Trump’s presidency. This has raised concerns about transparency and ethical commitments.
Trump has defended receiving this gift, stating that it does not belong to him personally but is a gift to the U.S. Department of Defense, and he does not want to reject a gift that is generously given to him.
Overall, Trump’s trip to the Middle East is a combination of diplomatic goals and family business interests, accompanied by numerous ethical and political challenges, and has elicited various reactions on an international level.