Differences between Donald Trump’s recent trip to the region and 2017.
The Persian Gulf region and Saudi Arabia have always been a central focus of foreign policy for major powers such as the United States, due to their geostrategic location, energy resources, and key role in the international political economy. The selection of this region as the destination of Donald Trump’s first official foreign trip in 2025 reflects the strategic importance of this region in the US’s grand strategy.
This report analyzes three main axes to examine the reasons for choosing the Persian Gulf, the differences between the 2017 and 2025 trips, and the key agreements between Saudi Arabia and the United States in the recent trip. The present analysis is based on three components: geopolitical, geoeconomic, and technological, and seeks to provide a comprehensive picture of the developments related to this trip.
Why did Trump come to the Persian Gulf again?
The choice of the Persian Gulf region, especially Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, as the destination of Donald Trump’s first official trip is rooted in three main components:
1. The region’s geostrategic position
The Persian Gulf has a distinctive position in US foreign policy due to its geographical location, the presence of regional and trans-regional powers, and its role in global energy security. As one of the main centers of energy production and export (oil and gas), this region plays a key role in the global economy. On the other hand, the change in capital flows from West to East has made the Persian Gulf one of the main axes of capital circulation, along with Southeast Asia. These features have made the region an important geoeconomic area for great powers such as the United States.
2. Economic role and capital attraction by regional players
The Persian Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, have become attractive destinations for economic powers such as the United States and China, by defining ambitious economic prospects (such as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030) and their desire to attract foreign investment. These countries play a prominent role in international trade by creating commercial and economic infrastructure and are therefore important for the United States in terms of strengthening economic and trade relations.
3. Counterbalance against China
One of the key reasons for Trump’s choice of the Persian Gulf is an attempt to counterbalance China’s growing influence in the Middle East, especially in the context of the “Belt and Road” initiative. In recent years, China has strengthened its presence in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, especially at a time when the United States had announced that the Middle East was no longer a top foreign policy priority. This grand competition between China and the United States chose the Persian Gulf as a strategic decision to maintain Washington’s influence in the region.