Saudi Arabia Commits $600 Billion for U.S. Investment as Trump Begins Gulf Tour

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025 — President Donald Trump secured a $600 billion investment commitment from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, following a ceremonial welcome in Riyadh at the start of a tour through Gulf states. The agreement includes $300 billion in deals signed during a U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum and aims to strengthen economic, defense and energy cooperation between the two countries.

Trump arrived in the Saudi capital aboard Air Force One, greeted on the tarmac by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two later presided over the signing of a sweeping bilateral agreement covering defense, energy, mining and other sectors. The U.S. also approved an arms package valued at nearly $142 billion, which the White House described as the largest defense cooperation agreement in American history.

According to a fact sheet released by the administration, the defense deal spans more than a dozen American companies and involves air and missile defense, naval and aerospace development, communications, and security services. Saudi Arabia is among the largest buyers of U.S. military equipment and has expressed long-standing interest in acquiring Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jets, though it remains unclear whether the jets are included in the current agreement.

At the forum, Crown Prince Mohammed said the investment pledge could ultimately rise to $1 trillion as the two nations advance additional deals in the months ahead.

“We will work in the coming months on the second phase to complete deals and raise it to $1 trillion,” he said.

The visit also emphasized private-sector participation. Trump was accompanied by several high-profile American business leaders, including Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The executives attended a business lunch with the crown prince and toured exhibition halls showcasing Saudi Arabia’s large-scale development initiatives, including the Vision 2030 reform program and its flagship NEOM project.

Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih praised the expanding scope of the U.S.-Saudi partnership. “While energy remains a cornerstone of our relationship, the investments and business opportunities in the kingdom have multiplied many times over,” he said.

Despite the economic emphasis, Trump also signaled broader geopolitical aims. He called the crown prince a friend and said the new investment inflows would help create jobs in the United States. However, he did not include Israel in his tour itinerary, prompting speculation about shifting U.S. priorities in the region. Trump has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pursue a ceasefire in Gaza but has stopped short of public criticism.

On Iran, Trump warned of renewed pressure if diplomatic efforts falter. U.S. and Iranian officials recently met in Oman to discuss Tehran’s nuclear program. “If no deal is reached, maximum pressure will return,” he told the forum audience.

Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said the administration expects imminent progress on expanding the Abraham Accords, the normalization deals with Arab nations initiated during Trump’s previous term. Trump expressed hope that Saudi Arabia will sign a similar agreement with Israel, though he acknowledged that the timing would be up to Riyadh.

“I hope it happens,” he said. “But you’ll do it in your own time.”

When Saudis and Americans join forces, very good things happen.