U.S. and Saudi Arabia Sign $600 Billion Agreements as Trump Begins Tour of Gulf

Latest Developments

• U.S., Saudi Arabia Sign Deals: President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have signed a series of economic agreements valued at more than $600 billion, including investments in defense, energy, technology, global infrastructure, and natural resources. According to the White House announcement, the deals included a $142 billion defense sales agreement to provide Saudi Arabia with “state-of-the-art warfighting equipment and services,” including air force advancement and space capabilities, air and missile defense, maritime and coastal security, border security and land forces modernization, and information and communication systems upgrades. The Saudi Ministry of Energy and the U.S. Department of Energy also sealed a deal focused on “examining the potential for innovation, development, financing, and deployment of energy infrastructure.”
• Trump Likely to Meet With Syrian President: Trump indicated that he would meet with Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Riyadh. Sharaa — a former al-Qaeda leader who ousted former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 — has sought dialogue with the United States to lift economic sanctions placed on Syria during the Syrian civil war. Speaking at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum in Riyadh, Trump declared that he was “ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness.”
• Trump Meeting Hostage Families in Qatar: Trump will also visit the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, where he plans to meet with a delegation of relatives of Israeli hostages held in Gaza by the Iran-backed Hamas terrorist group. The meeting has drawn scrutiny because Qatar hosts Hamas’s leaders and promotes anti-Zionist propaganda over its state-affiliated Al Jazeera news network. Dual Israel-American citizen Edan Alexander, who was released on May 12 after 584 days in Hamas captivity, declined to attend the meeting, with his family stating that “his medical condition requires rest.”

FDD Expert Response

“Saudi Arabia is an important American security partner, and increased arms sales to Riyadh can strengthen the American defense industrial base. They can also facilitate the creation of a multilateral U.S.- and Saudi-led regional security architecture that strengthens the ability to detect, deter, and defeat Iranian aggression. However, Washington must closely monitor Riyadh’s relationship with Beijing and Moscow and continue to ensure Israel’s qualitative military edge.” — Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power

“President Trump’s announcement that he is lifting sanctions on Syria is an uncalled-for reward for Sharaa, a jihadist who has not repented to the degree he once promised. Likewise, it is also a bad decision to have chosen Qatar — where Hamas’s leadership lives a luxurious life — as the venue to meet with the families of Israeli hostages.” — Hussain Abdul-Hussain, Research Fellow

“One of the key policy goals of the president’s trip to the Middle East should be creating an economic and military defense wall against Iran. With stops in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, the opportunity to forge a regional missile defense shield against Iranian threats is ripe for the taking. The administration is also focusing on joint economic investment that would bring the region closer to U.S. markets and industry while further isolating Iran. With Iran’s proxy forces largely degraded, U.S. regional partners should act now to bolster their own militaries with U.S.-manufactured defense systems that can safeguard them from future attacks by Iran.” — Tyler Stapleton, Director of Congressional Relations, FDD Action 

“Following the welcome release of Edan Alexander, President Trump has an opportunity in Qatar to get more hostages home. But that will require Trump to heap pressure on the Qataris, something neither his administration nor the previous Biden administration has earnestly pursued.” — Natalie Ecanow, Senior Research Analyst

FDD Background and Analysis

“The Message Trump Should Deliver in Qatar,” by Natalie Ecanow and Adi Stern

“‘Not Positive’: Israeli Official Criticizes Qatar Over Hostage Negotiations,” FDD Flash Brief

“Saudi Official Views of Hamas,” by Haisam Hassanein