According to Newsmax, President Donald Trump just sealed a massive $600 billion deal with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, proving America’s back in the global driver’s seat. The agreement, signed in Riyadh on May 13, 2025, sends a clear message: Trump’s dealmaking trumps woke diplomacy. No hand-wringing here—just results.
Trump’s four-day Middle East swing kicked off with this blockbuster pact, focusing on energy, mining, and defense, while shared worries about Iran’s nuclear ambitions and Gaza’s war loomed large. The Crown Prince, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, rolled out the red carpet, greeting Trump with a warmth that’d make any globalist jealous. This is what real alliances look like.
At Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, Trump was welcomed with traditional Arabic coffee and ceremonial flair, a nod to Saudi hospitality that screams respect. Royal Saudi Air Force F-15s escorted Air Force One, a rare honor that underscores the stakes. Meanwhile, the left’s still whining about “optics.”
Inside a grand hall, Trump and MbS inked over a dozen agreements, boosting ties between their militaries, justice systems, and cultural bodies. More economic deals were slated for a U.S.-Saudi investment summit the same day, with MbS pledging $600 billion in U.S. investments. That’s the kind of cash flow that shuts up the naysayers.
At the Royal Court’s Al Yamamah Palace, Trump and MbS shared a formal lunch in a room dripping with blue, gold, and crystal chandeliers. The Crown Prince, all smiles, hobnobbed with heavyweights like Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman, BlackRock’s Larry Fink, and Tesla’s Elon Musk. Woke CEOs, take note: this is how you network.
“I believe we like each other a lot,” Trump said during a bilateral meeting, oozing the charm that seals deals. His words cut through the fog of diplomatic double-speak, proving personal rapport still matters. Contrast that with the left’s obsession with virtual summits.
Saudi Arabia and OPEC+ cranked up oil production to back Trump’s push for cheap energy, aiming to curb inflation and pressure Russia’s war machine in Ukraine. With Brent crude at $64.77 a barrel on May 12, 2025, far below Saudi’s $96 break-even, this move’s a bold play. Actions, not tweets, drive markets. Trump’s choice of Riyadh as his trip’s first stop wasn’t random; it’s where the money and influence are. The Trump Organization’s projects in Jeddah, Dubai, and Qatar show his family’s business acumen, despite the left’s predictable pearl-clutching. Hypocrisy alert: where’s the outrage over their own cronies’ deals?
MbS will host Trump for a state dinner at Ad-Diriyah, a UNESCO site tied to Saudi Arabia’s roots, blending history with high-stakes diplomacy. Trump’s itinerary, covering Qatar and the UAE, eyes AI, energy, and arms deals, including a $3.5 billion missile sale to Saudi jets. That’s how you keep allies strong.
Trump halted a nearly two-month U.S. airstrike campaign against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, citing their pledge to stop attacking global trade routes. Israel, a Houthi target, wasn’t looped in, echoing U.S. oversights in Gaza and Iran talks that left Netanyahu fuming. Trust takes time to rebuild. “Israel will defend itself by itself,” Netanyahu snapped last week, a jab at Trump’s Houthi truce. His frustration is understandable, but Trump’s focus on Gulf allies signals a broader strategy. William Wechsler of the Atlantic Council noted that Gulf nations seem “stronger friends” to Trump than Israel’s current leadership.
Trump is skipping Israel this trip, a departure from past visits, as he doubles down on Gulf dealmaking. His first-term Abraham Accords normalized ties for Sudan, UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco with Israel, and he’s itching to bring Saudi Arabia into the fold. The left’s “peace process” obsession looks tired by comparison.
Saudi Arabia wants U.S. security guarantees, nuclear program help, and Palestinian statehood progress to normalize relations with Israel. The Israel-Hamas war and Gaza threats dim those prospects, but MbS’s recent meeting with Palestinian VP Hussein al-Sheikh shows he’s not sitting idle. Realpolitik beats idealism every time.
MbS’s 2018 Khashoggi scandal still lingers, with Biden’s 2022 Saudi visit dodging handshakes to avoid bad press. Trump, unbothered by such posturing, knows strength respects strength, not sanctimony. The left’s selective outrage over human rights is as predictable as it is hollow.
Trump’s Middle East gambit, starting with this $600 billion Saudi pact, is a masterclass in cutting through global noise. While woke critics clutch their pearls, Trump is building alliances that deliver jobs, security, and influence. America First isn’t just a slogan—it’s a results-driven playbook.