Trump’s Gulf Tour Unpacked: Power Plays, Deals, and Diplomatic Ripples

Synopsis

President Donald Trump’s return to the Gulf for his first major overseas trip in his second term signals far more than a revival of past alliances—it represents a bold attempt to reassert U.S. global leadership through transactional diplomacy, technological alignment, and economic recalibration. This timely panel discussion will unpack the strategic stakes of Trump’s Gulf tour, offering a critical assessment of how high-profile investments, AI partnerships, and arms deals are reshaping U.S.-GCC relations and influencing the global power balance.

As the Gulf emerges as a vital node in the contest for artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and critical minerals, the U.S. is doubling down on its partnerships with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. Trump’s visit seeks to lock in nearly $2 trillion in investment commitments, expand defense cooperation, and clear regulatory roadblocks hindering deeper economic integration. Alongside these ambitions are growing tensions with China and Russia, intensifying the need for Washington to cultivate trusted partners in the Middle East.

The discussion will explore how the summit’s outcomes, ranging from AI deals to defense pacts and critical mineral frameworks, could boost Trump’s domestic standing amid political headwinds. At the same time, the event will address difficult regional issues, including normalization with Israel, Iranian containment, and post-conflict reconstruction in Syria. With energy security, inflation, and tariffs also on the table, the Gulf tour represents a complex convergence of diplomacy, economics, and strategic maneuvering. This may be more than a tour—it is a test of Washington’s ability to lead in the new global order.

Join us as we unpack the ripple effects of Trump’s Gulf diplomacy—not just for U.S. foreign policy, but for the future of American influence in an era defined by tech, trade, and great power rivalry.

Featured Speakers: Dr. Dania Thafer, Brian Katulis, David Des Roches, and Daniella Cheslow.

Speakers Bio:

Dr. Dania Thafer

Executive Director, Gulf International Forum

Dr. Dania Thafer is the Executive Director of Gulf International Forum, an institute based in Washington, D.C. that provides analysis on political, economic, social, and security issues for the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Iran, Iraq and Yemen. She is also a Professorial Lecturer at the School of Foreign Service’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies at Georgetown University. Her expertise is on the Gulf region’s security, U.S.-Gulf relations, and the political economy of the GCC states.

Dr. Thafer has been widely published and consults regularly on matters concerning the GCC and the Middle East. Dr. Thafer has a new book titled “Creative Insecurity: Institutional Inertia and Youth Potential in the GCC” published by Oxford University Press and Hurst Co. (2023). Additionally, she has co-authored two edited books “The Arms Trade, Military Services and the Security Market in the Gulf States: Trends and Implications” and “The Dilemma of Security and Defense in the Gulf Region.” Her commentary has appeared in international media outlets, including:  The New York Times, Financial Times, BBC World, Washington Post, Forbes, Al Jazeera and others. Additionally, she is regularly consulted by governmental, non-governmental, corporations and research institutions globally.

Previously, she was responsible for building relationships with foreign dignitaries from the Middle East at the National Defense University’s Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, DC. Dr. Thafer has a master’s degree in political science from New York University, and Ph.D. in Political Science, specialized in the Political Economy and International Relations from American University in Washington, DC.

Brian Katulis

Senior Fellow, the Middle East Institute

Brian Katulis is a Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute. He was formerly a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress (CAP), where he built the Center’s Middle East program and also worked on broader issues related to U.S. national security.

He has produced influential studies that have shaped important discussions around regional policy, often providing expert testimony to key congressional committees on his findings. Katulis has also conducted extensive research in countries such as Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian territories. His past experience includes work at the National Security Council and the U.S. Departments of State and Defense.

Brian is the host of the MEI podcast series, Taking the Edge Off the Middle East, and author of the MEI column, “Making Sense: A Weekly Take on US Foreign Policy.”

Professor David Des Roches

Associate Professor at Near East South Asia Center for Security Studies

Professor David Des Roches is an Associate Professor at the Near East South Asia Center for Security Studies as well as a Senior Non-Resident Fellow at Gulf International Forum. Prior to this, he was the Defense Department director responsible for policy concerning Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Prior to this assignment, he has served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as Liaison to the Department of Homeland Security, as senior country director for Pakistan, as NATO operations director, and as deputy director for peacekeeping. His first job in government was as a special assistant for strategy and later as the international law enforcement analyst in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. He graduated from the United States Military Academy and obtained advanced degrees in Arab Politics from the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies, in War Studies from Kings College London, and Strategic Studies from the US Army War College. He has also attended the Federal Executive Institute, the German Staff College’s Higher Officer Seminar, the US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare School, and the US Army Command and General Staff College.

Daniella Cheslow (Moderator) 

Deputy Tech Editor, POLITICO

Daniella Cheslow is Deputy Tech Editor at POLITICO. She joined from The Wall Street Journal, where she covered breaking news and national security in audio and print. Before that, Daniella reported from the Jerusalem bureau of Agence France-Presse, with a focus on Israeli security technology. Previously she worked as an editor and reporter at NPR and WAMU in Washington.

Daniella’s work has been recognized by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, the Society of Professional Journalists in D.C. and the National Association of Black Journalists. She is a 2018 Burns Fellow.