US President Donald Trump to Visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and UAE

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to host a regional summit with Gulf state leaders during his visit to Saudi Arabia in mid-May.

The summit, scheduled for the morning of May 14 in Riyadh, marks a key moment in Trump’s renewed engagement with the Middle East, focusing heavily on economic and defense cooperation between the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Here is what you need to know

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to invite the leaders of all six GCC countries—Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar—for the summit. Discussions are likely to center around investment opportunities, weapons sales, and cooperation in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.

An Arab official cited in an Axios report said that while the summit is expected to include only Gulf states, there’s a possibility leaders from other Arab nations could be added to the guest list.

Trump’s Middle East itinerary

Trump is expected to arrive in Saudi Arabia on May 13, where he will first hold bilateral meetings with Saudi leadership. Following the summit, he is scheduled to travel to Doha to meet the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim al-Thani, and then to Abu Dhabi on May 15 for talks with Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed.

The White House has not yet released official details about the trip.

What’s driving the visit

The trip highlights Trump’s emphasis on deepening economic and strategic ties with Gulf nations. Just days before the summit plans became public, the U.S. State Department approved a potential $3.5 billion sale of medium-range air-to-air missiles and related equipment to Saudi Arabia.

While the visit will feature multilateral talks in Riyadh, Trump's stops in Qatar and the UAE will focus on one-on-one discussions with Gulf leaders.

No stop in Israel—for now

Notably, Trump does not plan to visit Israel during this Middle East trip. U.S. and Israeli officials have reportedly said there is little to gain from a stop in Israel at this point, especially given the lack of progress on a Gaza ceasefire or a hostage-release deal.