President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport Royal Terminal in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. (Alex Brandon/The Associated Press)
Upon his arrival to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Trump was also met with a mobile and operational McDonald’s truck.
The president, during a speech in Riyadh shortly after meeting with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, vowed to continue America’s partnership with the Saudi Arabian government, but also called for peace in the Middle East, urging the region to pursue economic development rather than Iran’s "self-destructive" path.
"If the responsible nations of this region seize this moment, put aside your differences and focus on the interests that unite you, then all humanity will soon be amazed at what we will see here in the geographic center of the world, and the spiritual heart of its greatest faiths," Trump said.
"Before our eyes, a new generation of leaders is transcending the ancient conflicts and tired divisions of the past, and forging a future where the Middle East is defined by commerce, not chaos; where it exports technology, not terrorism; and where people of different nations, religions, and creeds are building cities together, not bombing each other," he added.
Trump's speech came after he and Salman signed several economic agreements totaling $600 billion in trade deals. The agreements could help create up to two million U.S. jobs, Trump said.
Several of the agreements tracked with previously stated ambitions by both Washington, D.C., and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, particularly when it comes to defensive deals.
President Donald J. Trump speaks with Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad al Thani as he departs the Al Udeid Air Base for Abu Dhabi on May 15, 2025, in Doha, Qatar. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Iranian officials for a fourth round of nuclear talks over the weekend.
TRUMP HITS IRAN’S POCKETBOOK AS HE DANGLES A CARROT IN MIDDLE EAST SPEECH
The nuclear talks were "difficult but useful," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations, offered more, describing the talks as being both indirect and direct, The Associated Press reported.
An "agreement was reached to move forward with the talks to continue working through technical elements," the U.S. official said. "We are encouraged by today’s outcome and look forward to our next meeting, which will happen in the near future."
The Trump administration has said the flawed 2015 Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, did not prevent Iran from building an atomic bomb.
Trump, throughout his visit, made stark warnings to Iran — verbally, and through sanctions.
Just shortly after dangling a carrot of a "brighter future" for Iran, the Treasury Department gave a taste of Trump’s "maximum pressure" campaign and sanctioned more than two dozen firms operating in Iran’s illicit international oil trade.
TRUMP HITS IRAN’S POCKETBOOK AS HE DANGLES A CARROT IN MIDDLE EAST SPEECH
Trump said Iran has the nuclear "proposal."
"But more importantly, they know they have to move quickly or something bad — something bad is going to happen," the president said.
Next, the president traveled to Qatar, where he signed a series of agreements with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha.
Trump and his motorcade were greeted by dozens of mounted camels after his plane landed in Qatar Wednesday morning as he continues his four-day trip to the Middle East.
The agreements there involved a purchasing agreement by Qatar for Boeing aircraft, as well as letters of intent and "joint cooperation" between Qatar and the U.S. The emir also signed an intent agreement to purchase MQ-9 drone aircraft.
Next, the president traveled to the United Arab Emirates for his final stop — a visit that marked the first time a U.S. president has traveled to the nation in nearly 20 years, following President George W. Bush's trip in 2008.
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world, was illuminated in red, white and blue in honor of President's historic UAE visit.
Trump visited the Grand Mosque, a rare visit for a U.S. president, and was gifted the UAE’s highest civilian honor, the Order of Zayed, by UAE’s President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
President Donald Trump is presented the Order of Zayed, the UAE highest civilian distinction, from UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday, May 15, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (AP/Alex Brandon)
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The president wrapped up his visit to the United Arab Emirates with a visit to the Abrahamic Family House, which encompasses a mosque, a church, a synagogue, and a forum, and served as a community for inter-religious dialogue and peaceful co-existence.
As of this week, Trump has signed 148 executive orders since his inauguration in January, including a whopping 143 within his first 100 days as president, dwarfing the number of executive orders signed by his predecessors stretching back to at least President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton, Morgan Phillis and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
Brooke Singman is a political correspondent and reporter for Fox News Digital, Fox News Channel and FOX Business.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/middle-east-trip-highlights-president-donald-trumps-17th-week-office