ABU DHABI — Donald Trump’s return to the international stage has come with all the spectacle one might expect: bold declarations, photo ops in gleaming mosques, and business deals worth hundreds of billions. But as he boarded Air Force One in Abu Dhabi on Friday, the applause abroad was being met with rising scrutiny back in Washington.
The US president ended his whirlwind four-day Middle East tour with a staggering list of agreements. Chief among them: a $1.4 trillion Emirati pledge to invest in the American artificial intelligence sector over the next decade.
“They’re buying American, and they’re investing in America,” Trump told a room of business leaders in the UAE capital. “And that means jobs good jobs back home.”
The trip, which also included stops in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, was painted by Trump as a mission of economic diplomacy. He rattled off numbers like a seasoned dealmaker: $600 billion in Saudi investment pledges, $96 billion in aircraft and military orders from Qatar, and an additional $440 billion in joint US-UAE energy plans through 2035.
Etihad Airways, the UAE’s flagship carrier, also announced a purchase of 28 wide-body Boeing jets.
But beneath the polished press statements and booming headlines lies a tangle of concerns.
Backlash in Washington
A group of US senators has filed two formal objections to recent weapons deals with the UAE and Qatar, collectively valued at $3.5 billion. Their chief worry? That Trump’s family may stand to benefit from contracts inked under the banner of statecraft.
“Once again, we are seeing the corruption of American foreign policy for personal enrichment,” said Senator Chris Murphy, one of five lawmakers behind the move. They’ve demanded more transparency around the deals and questioned why negotiations appear to have accelerated during Trump’s visit.
There has been no direct evidence of impropriety, but critics point to a troubling pattern. Trump has long blurred the lines between his business interests and his political roles, and this latest tour—heavy on commercial deals, light on diplomatic nuance—has reignited that debate.
Business First, Diplomacy Later
Trump’s decision to skip Israel during the tour did not go unnoticed. In recent weeks, he has taken steps seemingly at odds with Israeli policy, including secret talks with Iran over its nuclear program and support for a limited ceasefire with Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Asked about Israel’s push to widen its campaign in Gaza, Trump struck a rare note of balance.
“We have to help the Palestinians too,” he said on board Air Force One. “A lot of people are starving in Gaza. We have to look at both sides.”
Aid agencies say over half a million Palestinians in Gaza are facing famine conditions. Israel, which halted humanitarian shipments to the territory in March, insists that its siege is necessary to force Hamas to release hostages.
Whether Trump’s comments signal a shift in policy or simply reflect the pressures of an election year remains unclear.
A Show of Strength
Back in Abu Dhabi, Trump’s message to investors and allies was clear: the US is back open for business.
“This is the biggest tech agreement in history,” he said of the AI investment pact with the UAE. Part of the deal includes building the world’s largest AI campus outside the United States, as well as a joint plan to construct massive data centres in both countries.
The White House insisted the agreement includes “strong protections” to prevent sensitive technology from falling into foreign hands a key concern in past administrations that blocked similar proposals amid fears of Chinese influence.
“This agreement was years in the making,” said a senior official accompanying Trump. “He just pushed it across the finish line.”
Global Optics, Domestic Realities
The timing of Trump’s visit isn’t lost on observers. With tariffs biting into US consumer prices and his political rivals gaining momentum, Trump needed a win.
“He’s selling this trip as proof that he delivers,” said Kimberly Halkett, a political analyst. “But the deals are as much about headlines as they are about long-term benefit.”
Markets have shown mild optimism, with energy shares and defence stocks ticking upwards. But whether these agreements translate into concrete gains for ordinary Americans remains to be seen.
For now, Trump is doing what he does best claiming victory and moving on.
As he put it bluntly: “We’ve made history. Now we go back and finish the job.”
