RIYADH, Saudi Arabia. U.S. President Donald Trump launched his Gulf visit on Tuesday with a stunning policy shift, announcing the United States will lift long-standing sanctions on Syria. At the same event, he also unveiled a massive $600 billion investment commitment from Saudi Arabia to the United States, including a record-breaking defense deal.
Speaking at an investment forum in Riyadh, Trump said the decision to end sanctions on Syria came at the request of Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“Oh what I do for the crown prince,” Trump said jokingly, drawing laughter from the crowd. He acknowledged that while the sanctions had served a purpose, “it was now time for the country to move forward.”
The move signals a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy. Syria had been designated a state sponsor of terrorism since 1979, with sanctions imposed in 2004 and further intensified following the outbreak of the country’s civil war in 2011. The decision to lift sanctions comes months after rebel forces led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa ousted long-time Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani welcomed the U.S. move, calling it a “new start” for Syria’s reconstruction efforts in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter). A White House official confirmed that Trump is scheduled to briefly meet with Sharaa in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
Historic Defense Deal
The White House described the newly signed $142 billion arms package with Saudi Arabia as the largest defense cooperation agreement in U.S. history. The deal spans multiple sectors, including air and missile defense, air force and space, maritime security, and communications, involving over a dozen American defense contractors.
It remains unclear whether the agreement includes Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jets, though sources indicate that such discussions have taken place. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman added that the full value of the partnership could reach $1 trillion once additional agreements are finalized in the coming months.
Strengthening Strategic Ties
The broader $600 billion deal includes cooperation in energy, mining, defense, and infrastructure. Trump emphasized the importance of strengthening U.S.-Saudi ties, especially to enhance regional alignment with Israel and act as a counterweight to Iran.
Saudi Arabia remains one of the United States’ top arms customers, and the relationship has long been anchored in a security-for-oil arrangement. However, tensions emerged in 2018 after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul. U.S. intelligence concluded that Crown Prince bin Salman had approved the operation, but the Saudi government denied involvement.
Trump did not mention the Khashoggi case during his remarks and praised bin Salman, saying, “I really believe we like each other a lot.” He also described the crown prince as an “incredible man.”
Business and Vision 2030
Several high-profile U.S. business figures were present at the Riyadh event, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, BlackRock’s Larry Fink, and Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman.
Trump was seen discussing Saudi Arabia’s ambitious development plans with sovereign wealth fund governor Yasir al-Rumayyan, Aramco CEO Amin Nasser, and Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih. These plans form part of Crown Prince bin Salman’s Vision 2030, a bold economic reform program aimed at reducing the kingdom’s reliance on oil.
Among the key highlights were models of “Giga-projects” like NEOM, a futuristic smart city planned to be as large as Belgium. Despite bold ambitions, Saudi Arabia has reportedly scaled back some of its targets due to rising costs and declining oil revenues. In 2024, oil accounted for 62% of government income.
Trump is expected to continue his trip with visits to Qatar on Wednesday and the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. The focus, he emphasized, will be on investment and economic partnerships rather than security concerns in the region.
Edgaroo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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