Trump’s Gulf Tour: Stronger Partnerships to Enhance Regional Security

U.S. President Donald Trump is embarking on a tour of the Gulf region, which includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, from May 13 to 16, 2025, according to White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt. This marks Trump’s first official foreign tour since taking office in January 2025, following a brief protocol visit to the Vatican for Pope Francis’ funeral. The significance, goals, and various dimensions of Trump’s Gulf trip are encapsulated in the following key points:

Reaffirming the Strength of U.S.-Gulf Strategic Partnerships:

Trump’s choice of the Gulf region as his first international stop reflects the U.S. recognition of the importance and uniqueness of U.S.-Gulf relations. This understanding is not new; it has roots dating back to the 1940s and established a strategic alliance between the two sides, which began with the famous Quincy Agreement signed on February 14, 1945, between King Abdulaziz Al Saud, the founder of Saudi Arabia, and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt aboard the USS Quincy. Since then, the U.S. has been the principal guarantor of the region’s security, leading various coalitions to counter threats, including President Ronald Reagan’s establishment of a coalition to protect ships during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, and President George H.W. Bush’s leadership of an international alliance to liberate Kuwait in 1991.

These instances, among others, highlight the importance and strength of the strategic alliance between the U.S. and Gulf countries, reaffirmed once again by Trump’s selection of the region as his initial stop. There are no significant differences in this stance between Republicans and Democrats. Just before Trump’s return to the White House for a second term, the Biden administration officially designated the UAE as a “Major Defense Partner” of the U.S. in September 2024, following discussions between Biden and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his visit to the U.S. This designation allows for enhanced military cooperation through joint training exercises and other collaborative efforts. The U.S. has only previously granted this designation to India.

The Economic Dimension of U.S.-Gulf Alliances:

There is no disagreement that the economic aspect is a top priority for Trump, who aims to secure hundreds of billions of dollars in deals and investments. He has publicly stated that this tour will include numerous significant trade agreements intended to benefit the U.S. economy. Prior to the visit, Gulf countries committed to substantial investments. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged to strengthen the kingdom’s investment and trade relations with the U.S. by $600 billion over the next four years. The UAE also promised to invest approximately $1.4 trillion (equivalent to 5.1 trillion dirhams) in the U.S. over ten years during the visit of Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser.

Overall, the strong economic ties between the U.S. and Gulf countries form a solid foundation for their strategic partnership. According to Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, trade between the two regions reached nearly $180 billion in 2023, with deep and diverse Gulf investments in the U.S. and an expanding presence of American companies in Gulf markets. These economic relations are dynamic and growing, with the Gulf’s GDP reaching approximately $2.1 trillion in 2023, and projected to rise to $6 trillion by 2050.

Gulf Cooperation Council states manage sovereign wealth funds valued at over $3.2 trillion, accounting for about one-third of the world’s total sovereign assets. Moreover, Gulf countries held total reserves of $804.1 billion at the end of the first half of 2024.

The robust economic partnership is no longer solely based on securing oil and gas resources—although the Gulf has long played a critical role in stabilizing global energy markets. More recently, this partnership has evolved beyond the traditional “oil for security” formula, developing into a comprehensive collaboration across multiple sectors, including clean energy, artificial intelligence, digital economies, and space exploration. A prime example of this shift from commodity exchange to knowledge exchange is the strategic partnership between the Emirati company G42 and the American company Microsoft in the field of artificial intelligence.

Highlighting the Gulf States’ Importance in Regional and Global Security:

The U.S. heavily relies on Gulf countries to achieve regional security across several crises from Syria to Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen, Sudan, and many ongoing issues in the Middle East. Indeed, Gulf states have positioned themselves as guarantors of regional security, successfully containing numerous crises.

During Trump’s visit, attention will be focused on potential solutions to some of the region’s crises, particularly the conflict in Gaza, as many hope this visit could help break the political deadlock and halt the ongoing war. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly stated that any progress in its relations with Israel hinges on finding a fair and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue. Given Trump’s insistence on advancing Gulf-Israeli relations as part of the Abraham Accords and encouraging Saudi Arabia to join this process, the prospects for reaching understandings that lead to just solutions for the Palestinian cause, ceasefire in Gaza, and humanitarian aid access remain high as a potential outcome of this important visit. With regard to the Iranian nuclear issue, several regional countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the UAE, are playing an important and crucial role as indirect mediators in ongoing talks between Washington and Tehran, as they do not wish for a war between the U.S. and Iran that would destabilize the region. Hence, these countries are actively facilitating negotiations between the two parties.

On a global level, Gulf states have reinforced their significance in Washington’s global strategy following their growing role as mediators in major global conflicts, notably the war in Ukraine, where Saudi Arabia has hosted several meetings between American, Russian, and Ukrainian delegations, enhancing its role as a mediator between Washington and Moscow, and between the U.S. and Ukraine due to its neutral stance. Similarly, the UAE has successfully mediated around 15 prisoner exchange operations between Russia and Ukraine, with a total of 4,181 prisoners exchanged. Both Moscow and Kyiv expressed their gratitude to the UAE for its efforts in facilitating these exchanges, reflecting their appreciation of the UAE’s role as a trusted mediator.

Expected Outcomes to Enhance Future Partnerships:

Many indicators suggest that Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE could yield results that solidify the strength of the strategic partnership between the two sides. Politically and strategically, it is expected to include further military deals that enhance these countries’ capacities to ensure regional security, as well as generate outcomes that contribute to regional stability and the cessation of some conflicts. Economically, deeper economic partnership relations are anticipated, covering sectors such as artificial intelligence and advanced technology. A significant indicator in this context is the media discourse regarding Trump’s potential adoption of the term “Arabian Gulf” instead of “Persian Gulf” within the United States and issuing an executive order to that effect. While Trump had already used the term “Arabian Gulf” in 2017 during his first term, and the U.S. military has referred to the region as the “Arabian Gulf” in its statements and maps for many years, this official step by Trump could mean a lot for the Gulf states.

In conclusion, President Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE is set to reaffirm the strength of the strategic partnership between the U.S. and Gulf countries, with expected new dimensions of cooperation focused on achieving regional stability and cementing future economic and strategic partnerships. Just as Trump’s visit to the Gulf in his first term was a significant element in enhancing cooperation between both sides, this visit at the start of his second presidential term is poised to be a key to a future with closer and stronger partnerships.