Trump’s Gulf Reset: How the U.S. President Redeems the Middle East World News in 72 Hours
New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has been on a recent overseas visit since returning to the White House, and has recently visited three Gulf countries – Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This high-profile trip brought ripples through the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.
The three-day visit, dubbed the “Gulf Reset,” features luxurious state receptions, landmark arms deals and diplomatic-sensitive participation. Now, there seems to be a clear shift in the U.S. posture toward the region. From unveiling a $140 billion weapon deal to recognizing Saudi Arabia’s civil nuclear program and accepting luxury planes from Qatar, Trump’s trading diplomatic brand has been fully demonstrated.
However, the most striking development comes from his unprecedented meeting with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa – a former rebel commander. In particular, Trump’s absence from the Tornado Gulf Tour is the most determined ally of the United States – Israel.
In Riyadh, Trump announced the largest weapons deal in U.S. history – a $140 billion weapon package that includes fighter jets, missile defense systems, drones and cybersecurity technology. Saudi officials praised it as a “protection partnership”, although the huge magnitude of the deal attracted the attention of international circles.
Green lighting in Washington has also caused green lighting in a private nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. Although the agreement is a peaceful energy initiative, it has a clear geopolitical background. Although Saudi Arabia has long been seeking nuclear energy, it also makes no secret of its ambitions that match Iran’s nuclear trajectory.
Trump’s recognition of the deal may be to provide the kingdom with enough leverage to maintain diplomatic scope while reminding Iran of its firm support for Riyadh. He also encouraged Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Agreement to normalize ties with Israel – despite their own choices and rhythms.
Trump seems to have recognized that Saudis will be reluctant to be openly aligned with Israel, while Trump faces global condemnation for alleged critical atrocities in Gaza.
$250 million in luxury gift
In Doha, Trump was accepted – amid great controversy – a $250 million luxury Boeing 747 jet from the Katari government. He presented it as a gift to the American people, announcing it would be used as a donation to his future Presidential Library, which is scheduled to open after he leaves the office in 2029.
“The Boeing 747 is going to the U.S. Air Force/Defense, not me! This is a gift from a country that we have successfully defended for many years. Our administration will be used as a member of the Provisional Air Force until our new Bollinger and other time, our military pays very late, so our military will pay the time. Want to do a good job for our work? Trump wrote on X.
However, critics are raising concerns about the ethics of accepting this product, suggesting that it may violate long-term norms or legal provisions.
Trump Meets Syrian President
Perhaps the most surprising development of Trump’s journey to the Middle East was encountered in Riyadh with Syrian President al-Sharaa. This is our first meeting with the Syrian head of state in 25 years. Al-sharaa, formerly a former commander of the Al-Qaeda branch, came to power after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime at the end of last year.
His transition from radical leader to head of state is nothing more than extraordinary. Throughout the 2010s, he led U.S. and Allied forces actively targeting Syria and Iraq. However, Trump took a photo with him, describing him as “a man who knows how to fight terror through a horror life.”
U.S. officials are already proposing the idea of strategic pragmatism, believing that although Al Sharaa was once an opponent, he now represents a key bastion against Iranian expansionism and continues to crack down on the rest of ISIS.
All this is unfolding with direct and indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran to curb its nuclear ambitions. Oman held four rounds of negotiations in Muscat, although the results remained vague.
According to U.S. government sources, the U.S. is providing relief from sanctions in exchange for verifiable restrictions on uranium enrichment.
It is worth noting that Trump withdrew from the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Action Plan (JCPOA) during his first term, a six-nation agreement with Iran. Now, he seems to be pursuing a modified version of the protocol, but on his own terms.
This strategy puts Saudi Arabia in a delicate position as a long-term rival to Iran. However, over the past few years, China-mediated détente has eased tensions between Riyadh and Tehran. To undermine China’s influence in the Middle East, Trump is now keeping a parallel diplomatic repertoire with these two former Gulf rivals.
Apparent omission
There is obviously no Israel on Trump’s Gulf itinerary. This omission is particularly noteworthy given historically close to the Israeli coalition and Israeli tensions in the Gaza war-driven region. Relations between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have cooled significantly in recent months, especially in the Gaza conflict.
Global condemnation is intensifying as Gaza civilian deaths exceed 50,000. Although Trump has publicly reaffirmed Israel’s right to self-defense, it seems that the extent of his willingness to ignore the massive atrocities that have taken place on the territory seems to be limited.
There is growing speculation that the White House sees Netanyahu as a barrier to wider regional restructuring. By excluding Netanyahu from the Gulf Tour, Trump could indicate a shift in Washington’s Middle East focus – from Tel Aviv to Riyadh.
Officials within the Israeli government expressed concern that the U.S. could be a more balanced (or, what they consider neutral) stance in the Sunni Shiite competition, a shift that could reduce Israel’s strategic position.
These developments point to a broader recalibration of the U.S. Middle East strategy. For decades, U.S. foreign policy has been operating along clear lines: Israel and the Arab world, Saudi Arabia and Iran and Syria as untouchable countries. Now, Trump seems to be blurring these lines in favor of a pragmatic approach to trading that values ideological flexibility.
Whether this method can be tolerated-what price-it remains to be seen.
