Saudi Arabia at the heart of Trump’s foreign policy

Nearly every American President since Richard Nixon in 1974 has visited Saudi Arabia either to avoid regional conflicts or to reinforce bilateral relations in foreign and economic policy.
Nixon visited out of necessity early in his second term as president in the wake of the oil embargo imposed by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries following the 1973 Arab-Israeli conflict.
But none of them have made the Kingdom more of a foundation of America’s foreign and economic policies than President Donald Trump — a significance that cannot be taken for granted.
In 2017, Saudi Arabia became the first foreign country Trump visited after he was sworn in as president. He became the first president to choose the Kingdom as the destination for their first international trip.
The visit to Riyadh took place on May 20, 2017, 120 days after his inauguration, making it the earliest any president had visited Saudi Arabia. His predecessor, Barack Obama, visited Saudi Arabia in June 2009, 135 days after being sworn into office.
For other presidents like George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and even Jimmy Carter, who achieved the first peace accord between Israel and an Arab country (Egypt), their first trips to Saudi Arabia were taken years into their administrations, reacting to issues rather than seeking to initiate change.
Trump reemphasized the importance of Saudi Arabia by returning in May this year, again only months after being sworn into office for his second term. Trump chose to use this trip as an unprecedented platform to announce his foreign policy initiatives from Riyadh, rather than in Washington.
His visits and their timing are monumental in signaling the important role Saudi Arabia plays in Trump’s foreign and economic policy visions.
Trump’s May visit underscored the Kingdom’s stature and role in promoting regional stability, while reflecting the shared commitment of both leaderships to strengthen their strategic partnership.
During his two-day visit, Trump made several significant announcements, including a $600 billion pledge from Saudi Arabia to invest in the US in energy, infrastructure, defense, critical minerals and technology.
Trump touted the memorandums of understanding signed on the trip as the foundations to strengthen America’s economic status, industries and manufacturing, while creating American jobs. The agreements included Saudi company DataVolt committing $20 billion in US investment for artificial intelligence data centers, while US firms like Google, Oracle, AMD and Uber committed $80 billion in cross-border investments.
He also announced a $142 billion deal for defense sales covering the Kingdom’s space exploration capabilities, missile defense, maritime and coastal security, and modernization of its border and land forces. Trump touted this as the largest defense sale agreement in US history. 

Unprecedentedly, Trump chose to announce his foreign policy initiatives from Riyadh, rather than in Washington.

Ray Hanania

Trump’s visit deepened the economic, energy and security ties between the two nations. Observers noted that it represented a pivotal shift toward “transactional diplomacy” that involved investment and business growth, rather than simply being based on ideology or foreign policy.
For Trump, the agreements contributed to him delivering on his campaign promise to restore America’s faltering economy. And they will help Saudi Arabia diversify its economy away from a reliance on oil, as set out in Vision 2030, which was announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2016.
Trump has been a key partner in helping Saudi Arabia achieve its transition away from oil, while the Kingdom has masterfully nurtured the relationship, recognizing the important role America plays worldwide.
The relationship has strengthened international respect for Saudi Arabia and the many changes that have taken place under Vision 2030, giving it global visibility. It has also provided a foundation for the Kingdom to expand internationally in many other areas.
In September, Saudi Arabia sponsored the high-profile boxing match between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford, under the leadership of General Entertainment Authority Chairman Turki Alalshikh. After that fight, the World Wrestling Entertainment company announced that it plans to hold its WrestleMania 43 event in Saudi Arabia in 2027.
The Kingdom has also become a growing tourist destination, with the expansion of tourist visa programs allowing visitors to explore ancient sites like AlUla, natural landscapes and many modern attractions, all while understanding Arab cultural traditions.
The changes have helped to confront and change the many negative and inaccurate stereotypes not just of Saudi Arabia but the wider Arab and Muslim worlds, especially regarding the role of women in society. Breaking down those stereotypes has helped the Kingdom improve its relations and understandings with the West.
The crown prince’s visit to the White House will showcase many of the changes that have taken place in Saudi Arabia, not just in terms of business but also sports. Most importantly, it will reinforce the Kingdom’s role in international relations.

• Ray Hanania is an award-winning former Chicago City Hall political reporter and columnist. He can be reached on his personal website at www.Hanania.com.
X: @RayHanania