Since his inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump has reshaped U.S. Middle East policy with a bold, deal-driven approach, leveraging economic agreements, strategic alliances, and assertive rhetoric to assert dominance in a volatile region. Over his first five months, Trump’s policies have centered on securing massive investments, pursuing ambitious diplomatic breakthroughs, and recalibrating U.S. relations with key players like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Syria, while navigating the Israel-Iran conflict and Gaza’s ongoing war. His May 13–16, 2025, Gulf tour to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) underscored this strategy, yielding historic economic deals and controversial shifts, though not without setbacks. Here’s a detailed look at how Trump has dominated the Middle East landscape, drawing on recent reports and sentiment from X.
1. Historic Economic Deals and Gulf Partnerships
Trump’s Middle East policy has prioritized economic leverage over traditional diplomacy, with his Gulf tour securing over $2 trillion in investments, including a landmark $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia alone. These agreements, announced on May 13, 2025, span aviation, defense, technology (notably AI), and energy, with Saudi Arabia purchasing U.S. arms and investing in American firms like Boeing and Qualcomm. Qatar pledged orders for Boeing jets, while the UAE committed to a new aluminum smelter, potentially doubling U.S. domestic production. These deals, described as the “largest set of commercial agreements” between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, reflect Trump’s business-oriented mindset, rooted in his real estate background.
His administration’s focus on economic prosperity aligns with Gulf states’ ambitions, particularly Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which seeks to diversify from oil. Trump’s meetings with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan were marked by lavish receptions, including a 21-gun salute in Riyadh and a Cybertruck-led motorcade in Doha, reinforcing personal ties. X posts, like one from @AP, celebrated these deals as a “new course” for U.S. policy, though critics like @mtracey warned of prioritizing profit over strategy.
2. Syria Policy Reversal and Engagement with New Leadership
Trump made waves by lifting decades-old U.S. sanctions on Syria on May 13, 2025, during his Riyadh speech, aiming to give the country “a chance at greatness” under its new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former Al Qaeda-linked militant who ousted Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. This marked a dramatic reversal of U.S. policy, as Trump met Sharaa in Riyadh, brokered by Saudi Arabia, signaling openness to engage with Syria’s Islamist-led government. The move drew bipartisan praise for offering an economic lifeline to a war-torn nation but raised concerns about legitimizing a figure once targeted with a $10 million U.S. bounty.
X users like @AP noted the sanctions lift as a bold step, while others expressed unease over Sharaa’s past. Trump’s decision aligns with his broader strategy of avoiding “long, faraway wars,” leveraging regional powers like Saudi Arabia to stabilize Syria. However, the lack of a clear post-conflict plan for Syria remains a point of contention.
3. Israel-Iran Conflict: Assertive Rhetoric, Limited Diplomacy
The escalating Israel-Iran conflict, intensified by Israel’s June 13, 2025, strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military sites, has tested Trump’s “peacemaker” ambitions. His administration has supported Israel’s right to self-defense, with Trump stating on Truth Social that Iran’s attacks “would not have happened” under his watch, citing his first-term “maximum pressure” policy that starved Iran of oil revenue. However, he has pushed for a nuclear deal, warning Iran of “violent consequences” if it pursues a nuclear weapon. Negotiations, mediated by Oman, have faltered, with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissing talks as “not honorable” on February 7, 2025.
Trump’s refusal to sign a G7 de-escalation statement on June 15, 2025, underscored his preference for unilateral action, though he floated Putin as a potential mediator, a controversial suggestion given Russia’s limited regional influence. X posts, like @warintel4u, praise Trump’s deterrence stance, while @MJTruthUltra criticize his lack of a clear strategy. The loss of Khamenei’s key IRGC advisers to Israeli strikes has weakened Iran, potentially opening a window for talks, but progress remains elusive.
4. Gaza and Israel-Saudi Normalization: Ambitious but Stalled
Trump initially touted a transformative U.S.-Saudi-Israeli deal to end the Arab-Israeli conflict, including Saudi normalization with Israel, but progress has been “plodding.” His early vision to “take over” Gaza and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East” sparked backlash, with Arab nations like Jordan and Egypt rejecting his January 26, 2025, proposal to relocate Palestinians. By February 10, Trump’s claim that Palestinians would not return to Gaza under his plan drew international outcry, with Gaza’s death toll surpassing 52,900. His support for Israel’s ongoing strikes against Hamas, armed with U.S. weapons, has further complicated ceasefire efforts.
Saudi Arabia’s insistence on West Bank concessions for normalization has clashed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to compromise, stalling Trump’s grand bargain. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff’s focus on Gaza without addressing the West Bank has raised doubts about Riyadh’s willingness to proceed. X posts from @mtracey accuse Trump of undermining a U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire, reflecting frustration with his wavering commitment.
5. Family Business Ties and Ethical Concerns
Trump’s Middle East policy has been shadowed by his family’s expanding business interests, raising ethical concerns. The Trump Organization has secured deals in Saudi Arabia (Trump Tower in Riyadh, $530m Jeddah tower), Qatar (golf resort), and Oman (resort and villas), with additional projects in the UAE. These ventures, often licensing agreements with state-backed firms like Saudi’s Dar Global, have prompted accusations of conflicts of interest. Critics, including Robert Weissman of Public Citizen, argue Trump’s policies may prioritize personal profit over U.S. interests, especially as his sons, Eric and Donald Jr., promote these deals. Qatar’s offer of a $400m Boeing 747 for Trump’s use further fueled concerns, though he dismissed ethics critiques as “ridiculous.”
X posts, like @AP, highlight the sanctions lift and economic deals, but others question whether Trump’s business ties influence policy, with no conclusive evidence of direct corruption.
6. Regional Recalibration and Great Power Competition
Trump’s policies have navigated a Middle East increasingly shaped by great power competition. Iran’s improved ties with Gulf states and joint naval drills with Russia and China in March 2025 challenge U.S. influence. Turkey’s push to lead anti-ISIS efforts in Syria and reduce Iranian influence aligns with Trump’s tariff exemptions for Ankara, signaling a potential new ally. However, his tariff regime, sparing Gulf states but hitting Jordan with steep duties, risks economic collateral damage if oil demand falls.
Dominance Through Deal-Making
Trump’s dominance stems from his ability to secure headline-grabbing deals, shift U.S. policy (e.g., Syria sanctions), and project strength through warnings to Iran and support for Israel. His May Gulf tour, yielding $2 trillion in investments, and his engagement with Syria’s new leadership showcase a dealmaker’s approach, prioritizing economic wins and personal relationships over moral leadership. However, stalled nuclear talks with Iran, a faltering Gaza ceasefire, and ethical concerns over family business ties reveal limits to his strategy. X sentiment reflects both admiration for his economic achievements and skepticism about unresolved conflicts, with @AP noting his Syria pivot as a “key win” for Saudi Arabia, while @mtracey critiques his Gaza missteps.
As Trump navigates these challenges, his ability to deliver on promised breakthroughs—like a Saudi-Israeli deal or an Iran nuclear agreement—will determine whether his dominance translates into lasting regional stability or remains a spectacle of deal-making amid ongoing turmoil.
By International Affairs Correspondent
Published: June 17, 2025
