Trump's Billion-Dollar Saudi Handshake

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a strategic economic agreement with Saudi Arabia, securing immense investments and boosting U.S.-Saudi relations. This includes a historic $600 billion pledge to the U.S., focused on defence and business opportunities, while also highlighting shifts in Middle Eastern alliances and investments amid regional tensions.

U.S. President Donald Trump has strengthened economic ties with Saudi Arabia through a strategic agreement signed on Tuesday, marking a significant increase in U.S.-Saudi investments. The oil-rich kingdom rolled out a warm welcome for Trump, underscoring the importance of their alliance.

Saudi Arabia plans to invest $600 billion in the United States, with a major portion allocated to defence sales, estimated at $142 billion. Trump, accompanied by top business leaders, emphasized the mutual benefits and job creation potential of Saudi investments in America.

Despite prioritizing economic cooperation, Trump's exclusion of Israel from his schedule has raised questions about regional priorities. Saudi efforts to diversity their economy, highlighted by the Vision 2030 reform and gigaprojects like NEOM, spotlight the evolving economic landscape in the Middle East.

(With inputs from agencies.)