Trump Side Steps Congress To Bring About Golden Age In The Middle East
On May 13, 2025, President Donald Trump launched a Middle East tour, skillfully bypassing a Congress often swayed by what his supporters call the “deep state”—entrenched bureaucrats and establishment figures who prioritize maintaining the status quo over bold foreign policy shifts. By engaging directly with Arab leaders, Trump secured unprecedented deals, starting with a $600 billion investment commitment from Saudi Arabia, potentially rising to $1 trillion, which included a $142 billion defense pact, the largest in history. This diplomacy, executed through executive authority and personal rapport with figures like Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, circumvented Congressional oversight, which typically stalls such agreements due to deep state influence favoring slower, multilateral approaches. The result was over $3 trillion in investments from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, redirecting economic focus to the Middle East and away from traditional deep state priorities.
A key highlight of Trump’s tour was Qatar’s $400 million gift of a luxury jet for Air Force One, a symbolic win as significant as Qatar’s $5 billion in donations to U.S. universities since 9/11, which averages about $250 million annually. The jet, part of a $96 billion Boeing deal for 210 aircraft, was accepted without Congressional approval, sidestepping the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act, which limits gifts over $480 without legislative consent. Trump’s team framed this as a strategic move to modernize the presidential fleet while deepening U.S.-Qatar ties, countering deep state resistance that often delays military upgrades through endless reviews. The jet’s importance mirrors Qatar’s academic investments, which have raised concerns about foreign influence in U.S. education, highlighting how Gulf nations are leveraging financial power to shape American symbols and institutions.
These trillions in Middle Eastern investments, alongside the new Air Force One, mark a significant reorientation of U.S. foreign policy, with Trump also lifting sanctions on Syria after meeting Ahmed al-Sharaa—all without deep state-controlled Congressional input. While the economic gains are substantial, creating millions of jobs and bolstering sectors like energy and AI, the deals intertwine Trump’s family business interests, such as real estate in Dubai, with national policy, fueling criticism of potential conflicts of interest. Critics argue that bypassing Congress risks long-term diplomatic credibility, especially if economic promises falter, while supporters see it as a masterstroke against deep state inertia, securing American prosperity and global standing through direct, results-driven diplomacy with Arab nations.
