Trump's delicate visit to Saudi Arabia: Peace or Weapons?

Trump's delicate visit to Saudi Arabia: Peace or Weapons?

Saudi-Arabien - US President Donald Trump started a trip to the Golf region on Friday, May 13, 2025. The aim of his trip is to deepen the relationships with Saudi Arabia. LoudGermany radioTrump will deal with various topics during his stay in Saudi Arabia, including the acquisition of modern weapons and access to civilian nuclear technology.

In addition, Trump plans to advance a peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Before the Hamas attack in October 2023, an agreement was reached within reach. Now Trump sees the Situation as a more complicated one, since Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shows no interest in negotiating with the Palestinians. This could have an impact on Trump's decision not to visit Israel during his trip.

Peace negotiations and nuclear technology

Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Saudi Arabia is an important partnership in the United States and has been looking for contact with China in the past, especially after the country's isolation after the murder of journalists Jamal Khashoggi in 2019. In view of the geopolitical changes, an agreement on a civilian nuclear program and advanced security technologies could help Saudi Arabia to take a stronger position in the Middle East.

Investments and economic goals

Another focus of Trump's visit will be the speech of Saudi investors because it advertises investments of up to a trillion dollar to the USA. Economist Tim Callen, however, expresses doubts that these generous commitments can actually be implemented.

The political landscape in the Middle East remains tense, especially since the war in the Gaza Strip continues. While the US government is optimistic, the reality for the Palestinians and the conflict in the region remains dark. The Palestinian state is still far away, and there is no view of a solution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The situation is also complicated by the attitude of the Arab countries, since the Arab league could achieve little progress in pacifying the conflict. The political tours in many Arab countries often have little in common with the Hamas group, although the opinions of the population look different. The pressure on Netanyahu is growing, especially in view of an impending arrest warrant of the International Criminal Court.