As US administration officials accompanied President Donald Trump during his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the first stop on his Gulf tour, observers are focusing on this important visit. Many expect that Trump's visit will lead to major achievements that will affect the next four years.

Undoubtedly, new regional and international circumstances and changes, the Saudi agenda, various circles within America regarding US foreign policy, and complex issues of interest surround Trump's agenda in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital. These evolved during his trip, and some elements changed. In this context, the pivotal and fundamental issues around which Trump's visit to Riyadh revolved are outlined below.

First, the Trump administration is aware of the deterioration of relations between Washington and Riyadh during Joe Biden's presidency. This contrasts with the first Trump administration, which ushered in a golden era for these relations in May 2017. US-Saudi strategic relations continued until Trump left the White House, and relations immediately changed from positive to negative.

In less than a month, the Biden administration removed the Houthis from the US terrorist list, placing greater pressure on Saudi Arabia to end its campaign against Iranian militias in Yemen. The Biden administration then moved to escalating pressure on Riyadh, including preventing the supply of advanced weapons to save the Houthis from collapse.

Relations continued to deteriorate until the outbreak of the Ukraine war and the subsequent massive demand for oil. Biden went to Jeddah and improved his relations with the Saudis because he needed them.

Saudi Arabia developed a successful diplomatic programme to re-balance international relations and its role in the region, breaking out of its dependence on the Biden administration. Riyadh built strong relations with China, re-positioned itself with Russia, signed a neutralisation agreement with Iran, and accelerated its development and tourism projects. Furthermore, it concluded massive purchase contracts with the US, positioning Saudi Arabia as the regional player at the centre of the equation, rather than a subordinate to the major blocs.

How the world has changed

The Trump team arrived in the White House in January 2025 and immediately began shifting foreign policy. Among the priorities of this change was restoring the special relationship with Saudi Arabia’s leadership, as it existed between 2017 and 2020.

However, the situation in the world, America, and the region has changed significantly, and a return to the past is no longer entirely possible. The US administration knows this in principle, but it will gradually come to terms with the new reality. The Trump administration also has many issues on its agenda, including economic and financial, as well as its political and military ones.

However, what is most important to the new White House is the awareness of most negotiators that something must change in the new era of these relations. This is especially true since Saudi Arabia’s positioning over the past five years means new engagement.

Riyadh has found itself in a unique international position that allows it to play the role of mediator and arbiter, as has happened since the start of the US-Russian meetings in Saudi Arabia to end the war in Ukraine. Choosing Saudi Arabia over other major powers indicates that the Saudi leadership is now in the field of international relations. Trump will work to renew the relationship with three main points in mind.

First, he will establish an unparalleled defence bridge on the military level, through arms and equipment contracts that will place Saudi Arabia in a technologically advanced position, parallel to that of Israel.

Second, he will sign economic agreements that will be stronger than the Saudi- Chinese agreement, to form a financial partnership to resolve several international economic crises.

Third, he will agree on joint diplomatic plans to address complex international crises, such as the Gaza war, the relationship with Iran, the crisis in Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and other thorny issues.

Both sides will discover that there are differences that did not exist during Trump's first term, especially since Riyadh now has a set of relationships it has developed over the past half-decade. Trump also has stronger domestic and international issues. Therefore, both sides must seek a deeper and more institutionally robust network of relationships.

Photo: The UAE is one of the stops US President Donald Trump is making on his tour of three states in the Middle East (by AdobeO.