As in his first term, President Trump has again chosen Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the destinations for his first official trip—reflecting not only the region’s weight in US foreign policy but especially the importance he places on Saudi Arabia and his relationship with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The visit is expected to primarily advance major economic ventures. On the agenda: a $100 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia and large-scale real estate and investment projects in Qatar and the UAE. Discussions toward these deals began under the Biden administration and have included Saudi demands for closer defense cooperation, including in the field of nuclear energy. Recently, it was reported that the United States may agree to allow a nuclear energy program in Saudi Arabia without conditioning it on normalization with Israel—although it remains unclear whether this includes permission for independent uranium enrichment on Saudi soil.
The visit will also feature a summit with leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, where President Trump is expected to present his vision for the Middle East. This vision appears to rest on two main pillars: expanding the Abraham Accords between Israel and regional actors and to the Muslim world in general, and reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran. Negotiations between the United States and Iran are ongoing, with another round scheduled for today (May 11) in Oman. Although the president prefers a diplomatic resolution over military options, it remains uncertain where he stands on Iran’s key condition: maintaining uranium enrichment in Iran. On the eve of the meeting, US envoy Steve Witkoff publicly rejected Iran’s claim to that right.
Trump seemingly wants to achieve more than just economic gains and present substantial diplomatic progress. Ahead of the visit, he emphasized the US success in forcing the Houthis into a ceasefire agreement, and reports in the media highlight intensive administration efforts to broker a hostage release deal that could pave the way for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel and open discussions on post-war arrangements. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether the visit will result in breakthroughs on the key issues at hand. Trump himself has promised “groundbreaking” statements in the coming days.
This visit raises pressing questions about how much influence Israel has over the administration’s future moves in the region, and to what extent its current positions align with the American vision. In this context, Israel must ensure its strategy reflects the Trump administration’s interests and adjust its steps to maximize the benefits of the expected US–Gulf rapprochement—both to advance its own strategic interests and to prevent being sidelined in favor of Saudi Arabia as Washington’s primary regional ally.
As in his first term, President Trump has again chosen Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the destinations for his first official trip—reflecting not only the region’s weight in US foreign policy but especially the importance he places on Saudi Arabia and his relationship with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The visit is expected to primarily advance major economic ventures. On the agenda: a $100 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia and large-scale real estate and investment projects in Qatar and the UAE. Discussions toward these deals began under the Biden administration and have included Saudi demands for closer defense cooperation, including in the field of nuclear energy. Recently, it was reported that the United States may agree to allow a nuclear energy program in Saudi Arabia without conditioning it on normalization with Israel—although it remains unclear whether this includes permission for independent uranium enrichment on Saudi soil.
The visit will also feature a summit with leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, where President Trump is expected to present his vision for the Middle East. This vision appears to rest on two main pillars: expanding the Abraham Accords between Israel and regional actors and to the Muslim world in general, and reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran. Negotiations between the United States and Iran are ongoing, with another round scheduled for today (May 11) in Oman. Although the president prefers a diplomatic resolution over military options, it remains uncertain where he stands on Iran’s key condition: maintaining uranium enrichment in Iran. On the eve of the meeting, US envoy Steve Witkoff publicly rejected Iran’s claim to that right.
Trump seemingly wants to achieve more than just economic gains and present substantial diplomatic progress. Ahead of the visit, he emphasized the US success in forcing the Houthis into a ceasefire agreement, and reports in the media highlight intensive administration efforts to broker a hostage release deal that could pave the way for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel and open discussions on post-war arrangements. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether the visit will result in breakthroughs on the key issues at hand. Trump himself has promised “groundbreaking” statements in the coming days.
This visit raises pressing questions about how much influence Israel has over the administration’s future moves in the region, and to what extent its current positions align with the American vision. In this context, Israel must ensure its strategy reflects the Trump administration’s interests and adjust its steps to maximize the benefits of the expected US–Gulf rapprochement—both to advance its own strategic interests and to prevent being sidelined in favor of Saudi Arabia as Washington’s primary regional ally.