Gulf States Embrace Trump’s New Vision of Middle East

Attendees wait to hear MBS and President Trump speak during a Saudi-US investment forum on May 13.Photographer: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

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May 16, 2025 at 3:25 PM UTC

At every stop on his just-ended tour, President Donald Trump’s words were music to the ears of his Saudi, Qatari and Emirati hosts.

He spelled out an unambiguous message: the US is forging a new partnership with nations in the energy-rich Gulf and the wider Middle East. It’s one focused on deals, business and economic modernization, and de-escalating the region’s conflicts. American discourse about human rights and democracy will no longer feature.