Egypt Daily News – US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he is likely to make his first overseas trip to Saudi Arabia to finalize a deal under which the kingdom would invest up to one trillion dollars in the US economy, including through the purchase of military equipment.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he would probably travel there within a month and a half. He noted that his first foreign trip during his first term was also to Riyadh in 2017, where he announced Saudi investments estimated at around 350 billion dollars at the time.
He added, “This time, they are wealthier, and we are all older.”
He explained that the Saudis are willing, at his request, to invest one trillion dollars over four years in American companies, including the purchase of U.S. military equipment. He continued, saying, “They have agreed to do this, so I will go there. I have a great relationship with them, and they have been very kind.”
Saudi Arabia is playing an increasingly significant role in U.S. foreign policy. Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, told reporters that the Saudis will host a U.S.-Ukrainian meeting next week to discuss a ceasefire regarding the Ukrainian crisis.
In February, Trump met with officials from the Professional Golfers’ Association and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf to resolve disputes between the two sides.
It is worth noting that Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East advisor during his first term, launched a direct investment company that received $2 billion in funding from Saudi Arabia after Trump left office.
