Trump’s week of Middle East defense deals
The US advanced plans to sell military equipment to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE
Welcome to Views From Above, a newsletter bringing you satellite imagery snapshots of major world events. Today, we are looking at President Donald Trump’s trip to the Middle East.
Earlier this week, President Trump was met by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Royal Terminal of Riyadh’s international airport in Saudi Arabia. The President’s travel to the Middle East marked the first major international trip of his second term and included visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The satellite image above shows Air Force One shortly after it touched down in Saudi Arabia. The President was greeted by an arrival ceremony complete with a long lavender carpet. It’s visible in the imagery above, not yet fully unfurled, and can be seen from ground level in the photo below.
The visit culminated in an announcement that the US would sell Saudi Arabia nearly $142 billion in arms and defense technology. The deal, according to the White House, aims to help Riyadh address defense challenges in several areas, including space capabilities, air and missile defense, maritime security, and border security.
Similarly, the US State Department recently approved a sale of $1.4 billion in military equipment to the UAE that includes helicopters and parts for F-16 jets. The President also moved forward a deal with Qatar, which plans to spend nearly $2 billion on American MQ-9B drones and another $1 billion on counter-drone capabilities. Alongside this, Doha signed a statement of intent with the US outlining over $38 billion in potential defense investments.
Yesterday, a group of Senate Democrats moved to block the arms sales to the UAE and Qatar. They cited concerns over the President’s comments on accepting a plane as a gift from Doha for use as Air Force One and the UAE’s intention to invest $2 billion in a cryptocurrency associated with Trump.
Since President Trump’s second term began, the State Department has announced approval of 36 foreign military sales to American allies and partners.
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