President Donald Trump spent the day in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he spoke on relations with the Middle East during remarks at a US-Saudi investment forum and signed several agreements with Saudi Arabia’s government.
Catch up below on key moments from Trump’s Tuesday in Saudi Arabia:
Remarks at US-Saudi investment forum: Trump touted the relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia, saying “the transformation that has occurred under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed has been truly extraordinary.”
He also expressed his “dream” that Saudi Arabia join the Abraham Accords — the treaties negotiated during Trump’s first term between several Arab nations and Israel — but indicated that the country would only normalize relations with Israel when it is ready.
He announced that he plans to lift sanctions on Syria following the fall of the Assad regime, which he said will “give them a chance at greatness,” and offered a stark message to Iran as his team remains in negotiations with the country, casting it as a “time to choose” how Iran proceeds as he warned it can “never have a nuclear weapon.”
Signing of several agreements: The Trump administration earlier on Tuesday entered into several new agreements with the government of Saudi Arabia, including on military cooperation. At a formal signing ceremony in a gilded ballroom at Riyadh’s Royal Court, Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed memoranda of understanding, letters of intent, and other executive agreements spanning different government agencies.
$600 billion investment pledge: The White House announced Tuesday that Trump had secured a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia to invest in the United States, including an expansive defense partnership valued at nearly $142 billion. The agreement represents a new era in US-Saudi relations, reinforcing strategic ties and unlocking immense economic opportunities across critical industries including energy, defense, infrastructure, healthcare, and technology.
What’s expected on Wednesday: Trump will be traveling to Qatar for the next leg of his Middle East trip after meetings in Riyadh. He is expected to informally greet Syria President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Riyadh, a White House official confirmed — a significant moment for US-Syria relations.
Blanket hold on DOJ political nominees: Meanwhile back in the US, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced he is placing a blanket hold on all Justice Department political nominees until he receives answers on Trump’s plan to accept a jet from the Qatari royal family to be retrofitted as Air Force One.
CNN’s Betsy Klein, Samantha Waldenberg, Alejandra Jaramillo, Morgan Rimmer and Shania Shelton contributed reporting to this post.
