Context:

During President Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia, numerous corporate leaders, including Elon Musk and Jensen Huang, accompanied him seeking new investment opportunities rather than focusing on tariffs. A series of substantial deals were announced, such as a $142 billion defense agreement and significant investments in cutting-edge technologies by Google, Oracle, and others, totaling approximately $283 billion, falling short of Trump's $600 billion target. These deals highlight Trump's preference for transactional diplomacy, as evidenced by the presence of major business figures at a U.S.-Saudi investment lunch. Despite the shortfall, Trump continues to pressure Saudi officials for larger investment commitments, exceeding their sovereign wealth fund's capacity. The visit underscores the significance of deals in Trump's foreign policy approach, with further commitments anticipated during his upcoming visits to Qatar and the UAE.

Dive Deeper:

• President Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia was marked by efforts to secure substantial investment deals, with corporate leaders like Elon Musk and Jensen Huang present, focusing on new investment opportunities rather than tariffs.

• Key deals announced included a $142 billion defense agreement and sizable investments in transformative technologies by companies such as Google and Oracle, totaling around $283 billion, which still fell short of Trump's $600 billion goal.

• The gathering of top business leaders at a U.S.-Saudi investment lunch, including figures from Nvidia, OpenAI, and BlackRock, emphasized the transactional nature of Trump's diplomacy, which is focused on securing large investment commitments.

• Despite the announced deals not meeting expectations, Trump is urging Saudi officials to commit to over $1 trillion in investments, a figure that surpasses the assets of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which is focusing more on domestic investments.

• The visit highlights Trump's preference for deal-making as a key component of his foreign policy, with expectations for further investment announcements during his forthcoming visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.