Quotes
The choice reflects a recognition that the regional status quo has ended, and the U.S. now has an opportunity to build a new order anchored by strategic alliances and American-led security,
Hudson Institute's Zineb Riboua told the Washington Examiner
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I would much prefer a strong, verified deal,
he later told Hugh Hewitt.jpg)
Eight years ago, President Trump's first trip was to this same region of the world, where he introduced his bold peace through strength foreign policy strategy,
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on FridayOn Yemen, failure to balance Saudi defense needs with pressure for a sustainable peace process could provoke backlash,
she said of the Yemen civil war, which is perceived as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and IranIt's hard for me to escape the idea that President Trump is going to the Gulf because this is his happy place,
said Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
Trump is coming to the Gulf first because this region has become a geopolitical and financial center of gravity,
Anna Jacobs, non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, told AFPThe president looks forward to embarking on his historic return to the Middle East" to promote a vision where "extremism is defeated in place of commerce and cultural exchanges,
spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said FridayIt's frankly ridiculous that anyone... would even suggest that President Trump is doing anything for his own benefit,
Leavitt saidPresident Trump recognizes the trade and investment opportunities in the Gulf, and wants to be able to 'tap out' of the Middle East as the US pivots toward China, which is a longstanding posture,
Burcu Ozcelik said
There is a growing alignment between Saudi Arabia and the US regarding the inclusion of the Yemeni dossier in the nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, as part of a broader de-escalation process in the region,
Tasinato saidEach of the Gulf destinations, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE, hold a set of policy priorities for US President Trump,
said Burcu Ozcelik, senior research fellow for Middle East security at the London-based think tank Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).The Saudi-US Investment Forum [taking place in Riyadh during Trump's visit] must be viewed against this backdrop, as Riyadh seeks to expand its technology sector through opportunities in data centers, cloud computing and artificial intelligence, among others,
Tasinato saidIt'll be one of the most important announcements that have been made in many years about a certain subject, very important subject,
Trump said, somewhat crypticallyOne aspect involves the Saudi civil nuclear program, where Trump seems now ready to discuss cooperation without requiring the Kingdom to establish diplomatic ties with Israel,
Tasinato saidRiyadh is in need of foreign direct investment to meet its Vision 2030 reform targets and does not want to be frozen out of the opportunities that the UAE locked in by joining the Abraham Accords [US-brokered diplomatic normalization agreements between Israel and a set of Arab countries],
Ozcelik told DWThe Saudi side is prioritizing business to steer clear of an uncomfortable situation,
Emily Tasinato, Gulf researcher and fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), told DWFor Trump, it would be a major moral and diplomatic victory if a hostage release deal could be agreed with Hamas either before or during his visit,
RUSI's Ozcelik saidStronger ties with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, states that are not aligned with each other on all fronts but collectively aspire to be heavyweights in the region, mean that the US can entrust regional actors with securing the region,
she addedI view business as the key element for assessing stakes during Trump's Gulf tour,
ECFR's Tasinato saidThe same is true for the UAE, which plans to invest $1.4 trillion in the US in the next decade, with a focus on artificial intelligence infrastructures and semiconductors,
Tasinato added