Saudi Arabia committed to a $600 billion U.S. investment, including a nearly $142 billion arms deal.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia—When President Donald Trump arrived in the Saudi capital on May 13, one of his first actions was to address the Gulf’s business elite, promoting the United States as a prime destination for investment amid a new era shaped by his “America First” agenda.
Trump made it clear that his three-day tour of the Middle East, with stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, would be all about making deals.
Speaking at the Saudi–U.S. Investment Forum at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center, Trump commended the kingdom’s transformation since his last visit eight years ago.
He began his speech by saying, “I’ve come this afternoon to talk about the bright future of the Middle East, but first, let me begin by sharing the abundance of good news from a place called America.”
He talked about inheriting a border crisis and bringing illegal crossings down to historic lows within weeks, declining inflation, and nearly half a million new jobs being created since he took office. He praised trade deals with the UK and China as major wins, adding that investment in America is up 22 percent in the first quarter and that Congress is close to passing the largest tax and regulatory cuts in U.S. history, underscoring his message that now is the right moment to invest in the United States.
Prior to his prepared address, Trump took the stage in a way reminiscent of his 2024 election campaign, with “God Bless the USA” playing. He then spoke for more than an hour before wrapping up with “Y.M.C.A.,” the song he frequently used to close his campaign rallies.
“We are rocking,” Trump told the forum, bringing U.S. and Saudi business executives together.
“The United States is the hottest country, with the exception of your country, I have to say,” he joked.
By Andrew Moran and Emel Akan
