WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump’s Middle East trip is off to a successful start, with Saudi Arabia announcing a $600 billion investment in the United States on Tuesday. The investment focuses on energy security, defense, technology, and access to global infrastructure and critical minerals.
We’ve seen wealth that has poured and is pouring into America,” Trump said in a speech Tuesday in Riyadh.
Included in the deal is $142 billion for defense and security, allowing Saudi Arabia to purchase state-of-the-art American-made weapons.
“You know nobody makes military equipment like us—the best missiles, the best rockets, the best everything,” Trump added.
President Trump’s delegation includes cabinet members and business leaders, such as Elon Musk, who recently announced he is winding down his federal government role with DOGE. With the Saudi investment, the administration is more than halfway to its goal of securing $1 trillion in investments and deals from Gulf states during this trip.
Qatar is expected to invest $200 to $300 billion, and the UAE pledged $1.4 trillion over the next decade.
During his speech on Tuesday, Trump announced he would lift sanctions on Syria, following the ousting of dictator Bashar al-Assad.
“In order to give them a chance at greatness,” Trump explained, adding, “The sanctions were brutal and crippling and served as an important, really an important function, nevertheless, at the time, but now it’s their time to shine. We’re taking them all off.”
Trump is reportedly set to meet with Syria’s new president on Wednesday.
While the geopolitical agenda took a back seat on day one, Trump maintains he wants to expand on the Abraham Accords by normalizing Saudi-Israel relations, though movement on that front is unlikely while the war continues in Gaza.
