Trump: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE turning to Washington instead of Beijing

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his visit to the Middle East has caused a shift in Gulf countries’ interests back to the United States instead of China.

Trump told reporters after a meeting with Republican Congressmen that his visit to the Middle East was “very successful”, adding that he had returned from there with $5.1 trillion in investment pledges, which is a “great gain for the United States.””

Trump added that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE are among the “strongest and richest” countries in the region claiming that Washington had abandoned these countries under the administration of his predecessor Joe Biden, and therefore they turned to China.

“But they will no longer turn to China. They love us, and we love them” he said.

Trump also said that these countries now respect the United States, adding, “We have concluded important investment agreements with these countries that no other American president could have concluded”.

There was no immediate comment from the three Gulf countries on the US president’s remarks.

Trump’s tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, from May 13 to 16, saw the signing of major agreements in several areas, including defence.

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