By Talia Cohen, Foreign Affairs Correspondent
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is gearing up for a high-stakes trip to the Middle East, set to kick off on May 13, with stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The visit, his first major international tour since retaking the White House, is shaping up as a bold play to secure massive economic deals, navigate thorny regional conflicts, and cement his image as a global dealmaker. But with Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepening and tensions with Iran simmering, the trip is anything but a victory lap.
At the heart of Trump’s agenda is a push for blockbuster investments from Gulf states. Saudi Arabia alone has pledged $600 billion over four years to bolster U.S. industries, with Trump hinting he’ll press for a round-up to $1 trillion. “We’ve been good to them, and they know it,” he told reporters in April, signaling a transactional approach that’s become his foreign policy hallmark. Sources say the deals, potentially exceeding $3 trillion across defense, tech, aviation, and infrastructure, dwarf the $400 billion secured during his 2017 Riyadh visit. Qatar and the UAE, key players in AI and energy, are also expected to ink agreements, with discussions around loosening U.S. restrictions on advanced semiconductor exports to fuel their tech ambitions.
Trump’s visit comes amid buzz about a “very, very big” announcement, teased in an Oval Office meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on May 6. “It’s as big as it gets,” Trump said, keeping details under wraps but promising a reveal before departure. Speculation is rife, with some pointing to commercial megadeals, others to a controversial plan to rename the Persian Gulf the “Arabian Gulf,” a move that would thrill Arab allies but enrage Iran. Tehran’s foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, called the idea “hostile” on X, warning it would unite Iranians in fury. “Feelings might get hurt,” Trump quipped, saying he’d decide during the trip after briefings.
Beyond economics, Trump faces a region on edge. The Gaza war, reignited after a ceasefire collapsed in March, looms large. Israel’s blockade, now over two months old, has choked off food and aid to 2 million Palestinians, drawing global condemnation. Trump has urged Israel to “finish the job” against Hamas but also pushed for a swift ceasefire, reportedly to stabilize the region for his economic plans. His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, brokered a Gaza ceasefire in January, but recent Israeli airstrikes—killing over 400, per Gaza’s Health Ministry—have dimmed hopes for progress. Notably, Trump’s itinerary skips Israel, a move some on X call a “snub” to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who’s clashed with Trump’s team over stalled hostage talks.
Iran is another wildcard. Trump’s “maximum pressure” strategy—ramped-up sanctions and military posturing—aims to force Tehran to the table over its nuclear program. Talks in Oman, led by Witkoff, have yielded little, with Trump setting a two-month deadline before considering military options. Gulf allies, wary of escalation, back a U.S.-Iran deal, but Israel’s threats of strikes on Iran’s proxies complicate matters. “Trump’s walking a tightrope,” said Shibley Telhami, a University of Maryland professor. “He wants Gulf cash and a nuclear deal, but Gaza and Iran could derail everything.”
The trip also carries a personal dimension. Trump’s warm ties with Gulf leaders, nurtured during his first term via the Abraham Accords, are bolstered by his family’s business ventures in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Critics, however, raise red flags about conflicts of interest, a charge the Trump camp dismisses. In Riyadh, a summit with Gulf Cooperation Council leaders will let Trump pitch his vision for U.S. dominance in the region, possibly nudging Saudi Arabia toward normalizing ties with Israel—a long-shot goal given Arab public anger over Gaza.
Online, reactions are mixed. Some X users hail Trump’s dealmaking, with one calling him “the only guy who can tame the Middle East.” Others see the Israel omission as a shift, with @OffgridIreland noting it’s “sparking tensions with Netanyahu.” Analysts like Greg Branch of Branch Global Capital Advisors told CNBC the visit is a chance for an “Arab-led” response to regional crises, but cautioned that long-term risks—like Syria’s volatile new government or Houthi attacks in the Red Sea—lurk.
As Trump prepares to jet off, the Middle East is a powder keg of opportunity and peril. His knack for splashy deals could score economic wins, but Gaza’s suffering, Iran’s defiance, and Arab demands for a Palestinian state demand delicate handling. Whether Trump’s trip reshapes the region or merely grabs headlines remains to be seen.
Talia Cohen is a foreign affairs correspondent for Israel Mirror. She covers U.S. policy and Middle East geopolitics, with a focus on Israel’s global ties.
