Chequebooks and Flattery

From 13 to 16 May, U.S. President Donald Trump undertook his first major foreign trip since his re-election, visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Accompanied by the entire U.S. business elite, Trump announced astronomical investments amounting to several trillion dollars. Beyond numerous deals, the Gulf states are demonstrating that they have internalised Trump's political style better than most: Riyadh, Doha, and Abu Dhabi are adeptly leveraging their privileged access to the president to advance their own interests and expand their influence. The Saudi-brokered lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria, coupled with Trump’s meeting with Syrian interim president Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Riyadh are just the tip of the iceberg. It shows that the Gulf States have advanced as major players in the Middle East. Even the United States can no longer bypass them.

The full-length publication is only available in German.