Trump arrives in UAE for final leg of three-day Gulf tour

Dubai: US President Donald Trump arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, May 15, after visiting Saudi Arabia and Qatar. UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed him upon his arrival at the presidential terminal in Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Trump's visit follows billion-dollar pledges from those countries earlier in the Middle East tour, which started on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.

Trump's visit to the UAE underscores the depth of the US-UAE relations and a shared vision for future-driven cooperation.

The visit is strategically designed to deepen bilateral cooperation across a spectrum of vital sectors, advancing the mutual aspirations of the two nations for development and shared prosperity. This significant occasion is further contextualised by the UAE's position as the United States' foremost trading partner in the Middle East and North Africa.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the visit as a "historic return to the Middle East". Analysts view Trump’s choice of the Gulf as his first stop once again as a reaffirmation of the region’s critical role across various domains.

Bilateral diplomatic relations were established shortly after the formation of the UAE in 1971, with the UAE Embassy in Washington inaugurated in 1974, followed by the opening of the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi the same year.

The UAE–US cooperation spans multiple areas, most notably development, politics, security, economy, trade, military, and partnerships tied to the Abraham Accords.

The two countries have successfully laid strong foundations for long-term economic collaboration and forged innovative partnerships in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, food security, clean energy, space exploration, and other priority areas in science, education, and culture.

The UAE and the US enjoy privileged economic and investment relations. According to the UAE Ministry of Economy, non-oil foreign trade between the two nations amounted to $32.8 billion in 2024. The US ranked as the UAE’s 6th largest global trade partner and the top one outside Asia, accounting for 4 percent of the UAE’s non-oil trade in 2024.

The UAE is also a major investor in the United States, with investments estimated at $1 trillion, spanning sectors such as trade, aviation, manufacturing, energy, advanced technology, and artificial intelligence.