CliffNotes
- Trump lifts Syria sanctions
- He sealed a $142bn arms deal with Saudi Arabia
- He was joined by some famous faces including Elon Musk
Trump Lifts Syria Sanctions as He Seals $142bn Arms Deal
What Happened
President Donald Trump has declared the United States has “no stronger partner” than Saudi Arabia during the first stop of a whirlwind Gulf tour focused on investment and defence.
Speaking in Riyadh on Tuesday, Trump announced a $142bn (£107bn) arms deal with the kingdom — part of a broader set of economic agreements the Saudi crown prince said could ultimately reach $1tn in value.
In a surprise move, Trump also pledged to lift all US sanctions on Syria, calling it a “chance at greatness” for the war-ravaged country, which recently installed a new transitional president following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad.
Trump, who also chose Riyadh as his first overseas destination during his first term in 2017, received a lavish welcome, complete with a lavender-coloured carpet, an Arabian horse honour guard, and a perfectly matched purple tie.
At a high-profile investment forum, Trump praised the US–Saudi alliance as “more powerful than ever before” and told investors: “From the moment we started we’ve seen wealth that has poured — and is pouring — into America.”
He was joined by top business figures including Elon Musk, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, BlackRock’s Larry Fink, and Nvidia boss Jensen Huang, as he sought to position the US as the top destination for Gulf wealth and AI investment.
Mr Huang confirmed that Nvidia would sell over 18,000 of its latest AI chips to Saudi firm Humain, part of the kingdom’s push to diversify its oil-based economy through cutting-edge tech.
What Next
Trump’s dramatic pledge to lift sanctions on Syria marks a major shift in US foreign policy. Speaking in Riyadh, he hinted the move came at the request of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, joking: “Oh, what I do for the crown prince.”
The sanctions, in place for over a decade, were initially designed to isolate Assad’s regime. But with Assad now gone and a new transitional government installed, the door has opened for renewed diplomacy and reconstruction support.
Trump is expected to meet Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, during his Saudi visit — another sign of warming US–Syria ties after years of hostility.
Despite the warmth between Trump and MBS, the crown prince stood firm on one major issue: Saudi Arabia will not join the Abraham Accords — the US-brokered normalisation pact with Israel — until there is a permanent end to the war in Gaza and a clear path to Palestinian statehood.
From Saudi Arabia, Trump will head next to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, where further investment deals are expected. The UAE has already pledged $1.4tn in US investments over the next decade.
While the tour is framed around economic development, it also marks a deeper strategic realignment in the Middle East — one that increasingly prioritises commerce, AI innovation, and regional reconstruction over past tensions.
Media Reaction
FOX News says the US president condemned ‘interventionalists’ and has pitched a ‘more hopeful future’ during his speech where he also condemned ‘neo-cons’ and ‘liberal non-profits’ for meddling in the Middle East.
The Guardian write about Donald Trump’s Middle Eastern trip saying it’s not just about diplomacy – it’s “also about the family business.” The paper says “The Trump Organization has millions in developments in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE – sites of his first state visit.”