They have built personal ties with the president and collectively pledged trillions in US investments while casting themselves as key intermediaries in conflicts Trump wants to resolve, from Gaza to Ukraine and Iran. Now, they’re being rewarded with the privilege of hosting Trump’s first state visit of his second term. The US president is set to land in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, followed by visits to Qatar and then the United Arab Emirates that stretch till May 16.“In Trump’s book, the Gulf states tick all the right boxes, Hasan Alhasan, senior fellow for Middle East policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Bahrain, told CNN. They “pledge to invest trillions in the US economy and spend colossal amounts on US weapons systems,” he said. Behind this carefully crafted strategy of wooing Trump is a desire from Gulf states to solidify and formalize their positions as the US’ indispensable security and economic partners, and extract as much benefit for themselves as they can.

US-Gulf relations have improved significantly since Trump returned to office. Frustrated at the perceived lack of US interest in their needs under the Biden administration, Saudi Arabia and the UAE had sought to diversify their military, technological and economic ties. With Trump in office, they see what one Gulf official called “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for to achieve his country’s objectives. From their perspective, now is the time to cement ties with Washington, and even secure greater privileges in their relationship with the world’s most powerful nation,” Ebtesam AlKetbi, founder and president of the Emirates Policy Center think tank in Abu Dhabi, said. Each of the three nations Trump is visiting has its own list of priorities. Here’s what they want from the US and how they’re going about achieving it. Security, security and security” is what Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states seek most from Trump’s visit, said Ali Shihabi, an author and commentator on politics and economics of Saudi Arabia. Gulf States are looking for reassurance of the US security commitment to the Gulf’s stability,” Shihabi told CNN. “Trump has many priorities and has been known to lose interest quickly… and they want to keep him engaged. (CNN)