When then-President Donald Trump announced a record-breaking arms deal worth $142 billion with Saudi Arabia, he took the liberty of boasting that the U.S.-Saudi relationship is “stronger than ever.” This development came during a recent investment summit where Trump praised the Saudi leadership and expressed optimism about the future of bilateral ties.
Trump hinted that the deal will balloon to an astonishing $1 trillion in the months ahead. Whatever the reason, we are witnessing a historic turning point in US-Saudi relations. During his speech, Trump pledged to advance economic cooperation and security collaboration between the two countries.
At the opening of this summit, Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shared the most aggressive of handshakes, signifying their military-industrial complex collusion. During the event, Trump reminisced fondly about his previous visit to the venue. He imagined a day when the region would no longer export terrorism and extremism to the rest of the world.
Trump acknowledged the strides made in the relationship over the past eight years, declaring, “Today we take the next steps to make our relationship closer, stronger and more powerful than ever before.” During the trip, he called Saudi Arabia one of the “greatest” places filled with “great people,” furthering his adoration for the oil-rich kingdom.
The former president underscored Saudi Arabia’s critical importance in keeping regional stability. He announced that the US-Saudi partnership has been a “bedrock of security and prosperity” for 80 years. In return, he thanked Mohammed bin Salman. You have been leading the economic reforms as a captain would lead, I mean poramiya, unmiya.
Trump’s comments are a piece of a larger push to finalize financial commitments on his trip to the Middle East. He carried with him a veritable entourage of the best and brightest of American business leaders and cabinet secretaries to talk about future investments. We know that the White House has announced a $600 billion investment commitment from Saudi Arabia to invest in the United States.
During his address, Trump reiterated his desire for Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel, building on the Abraham Accords signed during his previous administration. He said he hoped this would help to strengthen stability throughout the rest of the Middle East even more.
In addition to praising the economic ties between the two nations, Trump noted that “from the moment we started we’ve seen wealth that has poured – and is pouring – into America.” He concluded with the idea that powerful collaborations are the keys to collective success.