Trump Visits Middle East—Focused on Economic, Rather Than Security Issues

By Laurie Mylroie

WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan 24) — U.S. President Donald Trump travelled on Monday to Saudi Arabia, arriving early on Tuesday, in the first stop of his first major trip abroad. 

Trump’s four day journey takes him to three Gulf states: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE.) Despite the conflicts gripping the broader Middle East, Trump’s visit will focus on economic issues, rather than security matters.

As Trump left Washington, he could claim two major achievements in the Middle East. One was the announcement on Monday of Hamas’s release of the sole remaining Israeli- American hostage who is still alive, Edan Alexander, whom Hamas had held hostage for over 580 days in brutal conditions. 

Trump’s other achievement was a ceasefire with the Houthis, the Iran-backed rebels in Yemen, which was announced by the U.S. president on May 6.

Read More: Following Massive Israeli Strikes, US Announces Ceasefire with Houthis

Israel was involved in neither of the Trump administration’s diplomatic achievements, although they involved matters in which Israel has a strong interest. Nor will Trump visit Israel on this trip. 

All these points suggest a growing rift between the U.S. and Israel. This appears to be so, despite the expectations of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the pro-Israeli right that Israel would enjoy close relations with the U.S. under a Trump presidency. 

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE

A U.S.-Saudi investment forum is being held on Tuesday. It will be attended by a large number of American business executives who are traveling with Trump.

It is expected that the forum will result in the announcement of a large number of business deals, promotingTrump’s claim that his presidency is boosting the U.S. economy. 

Trump is in particular need of such a demonstration, because his first attempt to do so—through the imposition of high tariffs on U.S. imports—resulted in a drastic drop in the U.S. stock market, and with it, the savings of many Americans. 

That did not work as Trump had seemed to expect, and he has been obliged to walk back major elements of that policy.

So the conclusion of major investment deals in Saudi Arabia would be much welcomed. 

There are warm and well-established ties between Trump and the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, the country’s de facto ruler. Those ties date back to Trump’s first term as president.

In late January, shortly after Trump’s second term began, he spoke with bin Salman. In their discussion, as reported by official Saudi media, bin Salman “affirmed the kingdom’s intention to broaden its investments and trade with the United States over the next four years, in the amount of $600 billion, and potentially beyond that.” 

Trump embraced that statement, even as he suggested that the sum should be bumped up to $1 trillion. 

Among the expected deals to be announced in Riyadh is a large Saudi purchase of U.S. weapons. But there will be commercial deals as well.

Tech Execs and Artificial Intelligence

Those traveling with Trump include a number of technology executives who are involved in producing computing chips used for artificial intelligence. 

The leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE “want to pour billions of dollars into the construction of data centers,” including those related to artificial intelligence, The New York Times reported on Monday.

The supercomputers that run such centers are powered by American-designed chips, and their export requires U.S. government approval.

The Biden administration was not willing to approve the sale of those chips to the Gulf states. However, the Trump administration has the opposite view, and it is ready to give its approval. 

Hence, the Chief Executives of several major U.S. tech companies, including Nvidia, Open AI, and Alphabet, were among those businessmen accompanying Trump to Saudi Arabia.

Security Issues

Although economic issues will dominate the agenda on this trip, security issues will not be neglected completely.

They include the U.S. talks with Iran over its nuclear program. The Obama administration negotiated the first agreement with Iran on that issue, which was formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA.)

As a U.S. senator, Barack Obama had opposed the 2003 Iraq war that overthrew Saddam Hussein and his regime. Moreover, as that war played out, it faced serious difficulties that the Bush administration had not expected.

And, thus, those who had opposed the Iraq war from the beginning, including Obama, became ever more convinced that overthrowing Saddam had been a serious mistake.

So, as president, Obama was keen to reach an agreement with Tehran that would prevent any similar war being waged against Iran. Yet in his fixation on reaching a deal, Obama accepted a huge loophole: Iran was allowed to have a civilian nuclear program.

As Iran is an oil-rich country, there is no reason for it to have a civilian nuclear energy program. Critics charged that Tehran intended to use it as a cover for a nuclear weapons program.

That is why Trump pulled out of the JCPOA in his first term. But now that Trump is renegotiating a nuclear agreement, he has flipped between the two positions–Iran can have a civilian program vs. Iran can have no program.

In its latest statements, the Trump administration has reverted to the position it held in its first term: Iran cannot have a civilian nuclear program.

As the U.S. negotiator, Steve Witkoff, affirmed on Friday, “Iran’s enrichment facilities have to be dismantled. That’s our red line.”

But Iran does not accept that position—hence the stalemate in the negotiations.

Read More: Iran, U.S. Conclude Nuclear Talks in Oman Without Breakthrough, Agree to Continue Negotiations

The Saudis do not want to see Iran acquire a nuclear weapon, so they appreciate a tough U.S. position.

In addition, the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen are as much a threat to Saudi Arabia, as they are to the U.S., and to the extent that the ceasefire between the U.S. and the Houthis stops the Houthis from attacking Saudi Arabia, Riyadh supports that as well.

Finally, there is Syria. In a press conference on Monday, before he left for Saudi Arabia, Trump signaled a willingness to possibly lift sanctions on the new regime in Damascus.

Turkey was a major supporter of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in its overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s Baathist regime, and Ankara has pressed for the lifting of sanctions on the new government in Damascus. The Saudis, too, have supported that position. 

Trump suggested on Monday that the U.S. might, indeed, be willing to lift its sanctions on Syria.

“We have to make a decision on the sanctions, which we may very well relieve,” Trump said. “We may take them off of Syria, because we want to give them a fresh start.”

Trump’s statement was immediately welcomed by Syria’s foreign ministry. 

Read More: Syria Welcomes Trump’s Remarks on Possible Sanctions Relief