President Donald J. Trump returned from the Gulf trip with over $2 trillion in investment commitments from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, dramatically reshaping U.S.-Middle East economic relations and signaling a strategic pivot in energy, defense, and AI collaboration.
During the whirlwind three-country visit, Trump was accompanied by top business leaders from defense, tech, and finance—including Elon Musk, Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, Palantir’s Alex Karp, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman. The deals range from quantum computing and AI megaprojects to infrastructure and military sales, reinforcing the region’s centrality in global innovation and U.S. foreign investment.
Saudi Arabia: The Keystone of Gulf Investment
The tour kicked off in Riyadh, where Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled investment commitments totaling $600 billion. Among them was a landmark $142 billion arms deal involving over a dozen U.S. defense manufacturers.
A centerpiece of Saudi investment includes a $20 billion project by DataVolt to build AI-focused data centers and renewable energy infrastructure in the U.S., paired with $80 billion in digital technologies from U.S. firms like Oracle, Google, and AMD.
In a headline-grabbing move, Nvidia agreed to sell 18,000 AI chips to Humain, a Saudi-backed tech firm chaired by the Crown Prince. Humain also signed strategic partnerships with Cisco, Amazon, and Global AI to build a vast “AI Zone” in the Kingdom.
Adding to the symbolism, Elon Musk announced that Saudi Arabia will deploy his Starlink satellite network to boost aviation and maritime communications.
“Saudi Arabia is not only opening its coffers, it is signaling a long-term tech strategy with the U.S. at the heart of it,” said Dr. Rana Khatib, senior fellow at the Gulf Strategic Institute.
Qatar: Jet Engines and Quantum Leaps
In Doha, Trump secured what his aides called the largest aviation deal ever brokered by a former U.S. president. Qatar Airways committed to purchasing 210 Boeing jets valued at $96 billion.
Qatar also pledged $42 billion in arms purchases and $10 billion for upgrading U.S. military bases, along with a $1 billion agreement between Al Rabban Capital and Quantinuum for joint development in quantum computing.
Beyond defense and tech, Trump hinted at deeper personal and commercial ties, including rumors of a state gift involving a 747 jet and a Qatar-based Trump golf resort already under construction.
UAE: Data and Defense in the Desert
Trump’s final stop was Abu Dhabi, where the UAE confirmed over $200 billion in commercial partnerships. Etihad Airways will purchase 28 Boeing jets worth $14.5 billion, and Emirates Global Aluminum will fund a $4 billion smelting plant in Oklahoma.
In what may be the most ambitious AI infrastructure deal to date, the U.S. and UAE will co-develop the world’s largest AI data center outside America. Emirati firm G42 will oversee construction of the 10-square-mile facility with a 5-gigawatt capacity.
“This facility will redefine global data logistics and marks the UAE’s emergence as an AI power center,” said Dr. Alan Thompkins, Director of the Global Technology Observatory.
“The investment spree appears to serve dual objectives: economic revitalization and reasserting U.S. influence amid China’s and Russia’s growing interest in the region,” said Hussein Mostafa, a senior researcher at the Cairo Center for Strategic Dialogue.
Trump’s Gulf tour is not only a testament to the enduring appeal of American business partnerships but a signal that economic statecraft is becoming the main conduit for geopolitical influence in the Middle East.
The deals reflect a shift in U.S.-Gulf relations from oil and arms to data, artificial intelligence, and defense technology. They also hint at Trump’s enduring clout on the world stage—and perhaps ambitions that extend beyond business.
“These agreements are paving a digital Silk Road from Silicon Valley to the Gulf,” concluded Altman, CEO of OpenAI, in an off-the-record session in Riyadh.
