May 15, 2025 - Trump Middle East trip and presidency news

Our live coverage of Donald Trump’s presidency has ended for the day. Follow the latest updates or read through the posts below.

President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Air Force One to depart Al Udeid Air Base on Thursday, in Doha, Qatar.

For a leader who campaigned on a promise of “America First” with deep isolationist strains, the first major overseas trip of President Donald Trump’s second term signaled he may be breaking from the foreign policy doctrine of his first term — and emerging as more of a globalist.

At least when it suits him.

He’s already spent his first few months aggressively transforming the role of the US in the world, and his four-day trip through Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week has underscored how dramatically he has reimagined traditional alliances and inserted himself into global conflicts.

While Trump is hardly turning a new leaf, several moments along the way suggested contradicting views from his first term. The same president who issued a controversial travel ban on seven Muslim countries in 2017 paid a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. The same president who blasted Qatar for ties to terrorism embraced the nation’s emir this week.

The changes show he’s willing to depart from typical GOP and MAGA positions, as Republicans in Congress and elsewhere have shown a repeated reluctance to criticize their party leader. Underscoring that point, a top Democrat praised Trump for his meeting with the interim Syrian president and his general handling of the trip.

Read the full story on how he displayed engagement.

House Republicans continued to voice a range of concerns about the Trump’s agenda bill Thursday afternoon, showing House Speaker Mike Johnson still has some distance to cross in getting the bill across the finish line.

Rep. Keith Self said he is currently a “no” on the bill and said there must be “major changes” to the bill.

“I think everybody knows that we’ve got to get major changes to it,” he said, citing the deficit as a primary concern.

Rep. Don Bacon, though, voiced more optimism and said he believes Republicans are “pretty close” on the bill.

“I think we’re like 90% there — 95% there,” he said.

He said he had three issues with the bill, calling them “little loose ends I’m trying to tighten up.”

A revolt from conservatives is threatening the chances of President Donald Trump’s agenda moving ahead tomorrow as hardliners signal they may vote “no” in a key committee. The House Budget Committee is set to meet tomorrow to assemble the component parts of the sweeping GOP bill into a legislative package.

Because of a planned absence on the GOP side, the chairman can only afford one defection. This could always change if attendance changes in committee. Rep. Ralph Norman told CNN he is currently opposed and that he believes others on the committee could vote “no” too.

Rep. Josh Brecheen, another member of the committee, posted on X that he met with the official bean counters on Capitol Hill in the Congressional Budget Office today and he wants to see an official budget score before casting a vote in committee.

The bill has to move through the budget panel to get to the floor, aides say. Right now, the plan is to go ahead with tomorrow’s meeting, but that could always change as it’s still early in the day.

The next step after the budget panel is that it will need to go through the House Rules Committee. Leadership says they plan to do that Monday evening.

President Donald Trump returns the pen to his UAE counterpart Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, after signing the guest book at Qasr Al-Watan in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

The United States and United Arab Emirates (UAE) will partner to build a massive data center complex in Abu Dhabi to advance artificial intelligence capabilities with 5-gigawatts of capacity — enough to power a major city.

The agreement, announced Thursday during US President Donald Trump’s visit to the UAE, will mark the largest data center deployment outside of the United States, according to the Commerce Department. It will begin with a 1-gigawatt AI data center, but will eventually span 10 square miles.

The project is also expected to expand the footprint of American AI and cloud companies in the Middle East, allowing them to better serve the global south. No companies were named in the Commerce Department’s announcement, although Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was spotted at one of Trump’s UAE meetings. Nvidia declined to comment.

The UAE has also said it wants to become a global leader in artificial intelligence by 2031. Ahead of Trump’s visit, UAE Minister of Education Sarah Al Amiri said the country is looking to diversify its economy, especially in the areas of AI and technology. Investments in AI infrastructure are seen as crucial to securing the region’s post-oil future.

The White House also announced on Thursday an agreement under which the UAE has committed to build or finance data centers in the United States that are “at least as large and as powerful” as those in the UAE.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the members of press, following NATO foreign ministers' informal meeting, in Antalya, Turkey, on May 15.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified today that the US will issue waivers to Syria sanctions and is not fully repealing them for the time being.

“As we make progress, hopefully we’ll be in a position soon, or one day, to go to Congress and ask them to permanently remove the sanctions,” Rubio added.

The top US diplomat noted the waivers have to be renewed every 180 days. He added that they hoped to eventually repeal the waivers because the prospect of sanctions returning every six months is a deterrent to investment.

Rubio said the US had been laying the groundwork for the lifting of sanctions ahead of President Donald Trump’s announcement in Saudi Arabia this week.

“I was with the president when he made the decision to do this and included it in his speech,” Rubio said.

Rubio also said the US is “willing to provide” the interim Syrian government with assistance on the removal of chemical weapons.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the timeline for a meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin probably won’t be set until Trump returns from his overseas trip.

“We’ll wait to see what happens tomorrow, and then those decisions will be made about a timeline and when, where those meetings would happen,” he added.

More context: For days, Trump repeatedly stirred speculation that he might upend his Middle East travel schedule to join the Russians and Ukrainians at the negotiating table. He told reporters on Wednesday that Putin would “like me to be there.”

But shortly after the Kremlin released a list of their delegation attending the talks – signaling for the first time Putin would not be on hand – two White House officials told CNN that Trump would also not be attending.

President Donald Trump invited United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the White House during a bilateral meeting between the two leaders in the UAE.

“Let me have one month of fixing up the Oval Office, in other words, getting things ready. And I look forward to having you in the White House we’ll celebrate together,” the president said on Thursday.

Trump appeared to be referring to the UAE’s announcement in March that they would invest $1.4 trillion over 10 years focused on AI, semiconductors, manufacturing, and energy.

The UAE’s existing US investments already total $1 trillion, according to its embassy in Washington.

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, right, greets President Donald Trump at Abu Dhabi International Airport on Thursday.

President Donald Trump has spent the day on Thursday in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as he visited the largest US military installation in the Middle East and participated in a business roundtable with Qatari leaders before traveling to Abu Dhabi and touring the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

Catch up below on key moments from Trump’s Thursday in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates:

Roundtable with business leaders: Trump participated in a business roundtable with Qatari leaders, where he praised Syria’s interim leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa, floated the idea of a Gaza “freedom zone,” continued to express hope for a nuclear agreement with Iran and appeared to indicate that the US has reached a trade deal with India.

Visit to US military installation in Qatar: Trump thanked US troops for political support and said his priority is to end wars, but won’t hesitate to “wield American power if it’s required,” during a campaign rally-style visit to the largest US military installation in the Middle East, the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

President Trump smiles on stage at the Al Udeid Air Base in Doha on Thursday.

Trip to Abu Dhabi: Trump traveled aboard Air Force One from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, the third and final stop on his tour of the Middle East.

He was feted with drums, chanting, and a military honor guard lining a hallway as he arrived at the presidential flight terminal in Abu Dhabi.

President Trump shakes hands with with Director of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Yousif Al Obaidli during a tour of the mosque in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

Grand Mosque: Trump toured the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque moments after arriving in Abu Dhabi, calling the rare closure of the Emirati cultural and religious landmark for his presidential visit a “great tribute.”

Trump’s evening: The president is set to participate in bilateral meetings at the UAE presidential palace.

What’s expected on Friday: Trump plans to wrap up his trip to the Middle East by participating in a US & UAE business family photo and roundtable before touring the Abrahamic Family House.

Watch CNN’s Jeff Zeleny report on Trump’s visit to the US military base in Qatar:

CNN’s Betsy Klein and Shania Shelton contributed reporting to this post.

House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks with members of the media on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.

While President Donald Trump is in the United Arab Emirates, back in the US House Speaker Mike Johnson is meeting today with competing House GOP factions — House Freedom Caucus members and New York Republicans — as he attempts to strike a deal on the state and local tax deduction cap in Trump’s sweeping tax and spending cuts bill.

New York Republicans who arrived for the meeting, including Reps. Elise Stefanik, Mike Lawler and Nick LaLota, have been advocating for the SALT cap to be raised higher than $30,000.

LaLota reiterated that the $30,000 cap is “not a fix for us” and “I don’t think it’s a fix for the president.”

Ahead of the meeting with Johnson, conservative hardliner Rep. Chip Roy argued that the House reconciliation bill “must change.”

President Donald Trump tours the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

President Donald Trump toured the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque moments after arriving in Abu Dhabi, calling the rare closure of the Emirati cultural and religious landmark for his presidential visit a “great tribute.”

Trump continued: “This is the first time they’ve closed the mosque for the day. First time they’ve closed it. It’s an honor of the United States, I think. Better than an honor that’s given to the country, but it’s a great tribute, thank you.”

He asked the press if they were “having a good time.”

President Donald Trump walks with Acting Director of the Culture and Knowledge Department Ameena Al Hammadi, left, Director of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Yousif Al Obaidli, second from left, and Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, right, while visiting the mosque.

Joined by the mosque’s director, the acting director of the Culture and Knowledge Department and other officials, Trump arrived at the Al Noor entrance and observed the mosque’s exterior through the Sahan Courtyard. He then strode along the mosque’s long, outdoor marble walkway with intricate floral columns.

Inside, Trump admired the Al Noor Foyer, the main prayer room, decorated with geometric patterns, impressive stonework, gilded columns, colorful chandeliers and a patterned traditional rug – the largest handmade carpet in the world, according to pool reporters traveling with the president.

He observed a carved, gilded wall with his guides, and later stood atop the center of the rug and posed for a photo.

President Trump shakes hands with Yousif Al Obaidli next to Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan.

President Donald Trump and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan talk during a welcome ceremony at Abu Dhabi International Airport on Thursday.

President Donald Trump’s remarks ahead of his visit to the United Arab Emirates show that the relationship between Washington and Gulf Arab states is “beyond transactional,” UAE Minister of Education Sarah Al Amiri said.

The UAE is looking to diversify its economy, Al Amiri said, especially in fields of artificial intelligence and technology.

“We are in the perfect stage today to take on this paradigm shift that artificial intelligence is going to take on, and that’s why we’ve invested in it so early,” she said.

Perhaps more than any other Gulf state, the UAE sees investment as central to its strategy for deepening ties with the US and securing returns – and it has money to back it up.

Abu Dhabi seeks to become a global leader in AI by 2031, a goal it is unlikely to achieve without American microchips. Under the Biden administration, the US had tightened curbs on AI exports to keep advanced technology out of the hands of foreign adversaries like China.

President Donald Trump receives flowers from a child next to United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan upon his arrival at Abu Dhabi International Airport on Thursday.

President Donald Trump was feted with drums, chanting, and a military honor guard lining a hallway as he arrived at the presidential flight terminal in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

Trump processed through the arrival ceremony, warmly greeting UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other Emirati officials as children waved American and Emirati flags. Men in traditional green robes held swords and others in white robes stood with orange guns raised to the ceiling. A line of women in white robes danced and tossed their long, dark hair back and forth as part of the ceremony, a traditional Gulf dance.

The hallway appeared to be part of a large jet bridge that was attached directly to Air Force One.

Trump, who is keenly aware of the stagecraft of a presidential visit, has been received with grand displays of fanfare at each of his three Middle Eastern stops as all of his hosts seek to bolster ties with the US. In Doha, the presidential motorcade was escorted by a cavalry of red Tesla Cybertrucks and passed mounted camels and Arabian horses. And in Riyadh, Trump was welcomed with a royal purple carpet arrival ceremony and a 21-gun salute.

After a private greeting with the Emirati president, Trump is on the move to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, a major landmark in Abu Dhabi.

President Donald Trump speaks to journalists aboard Air Force One on Thursday.

President Donald Trump told reporters that when it comes to peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, “nothing is going to happen until” he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Nothing’s gonna happen until Putin and I get together, ok? And obviously — he wasn’t going to go. He was going to go, but he thought I was going. He wasn’t going if I wasn’t there and I don’t believe anything’s going to happen, whether you like it or not, until he and I get together. But we’re going to have to get it solved because too many people are dying,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he landed in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Trump added that he was not disappointed that the Russian delegation sent to Turkey Thursday for high-level talks with Ukraine did not include Putin: “I’m not disappointed in anything.”

He continued, “I’m not disappointed. Why would I be? We just took in $4 trillion, and you’re disappointed about a delegation? I know nothing about a delegation, I haven’t even checked.”

More on the talks: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he won’t meet with any Russian representatives in Turkey besides Putin. He called the delegation who showed up Thursday “phony.”

Trump indicated earlier Thursday that a trip to Turkey could still be on the table, keeping the option open even after top officials said there were no plans to do so.

“If something happened, I’d go on Friday if it was appropriate,” he said during a business roundtable in Doha.

Trump had vowed to end Russia’s war in Ukraine on his first day in office, a resolution that has proven elusive. Since then, he has said he was exaggerating.

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday.

President Donald Trump is traveling aboard Air Force One from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, the third and final stop on his tour of the Middle East.

In Qatar, the president highlighted key investments in Boeing, but also made news on Iran nuclear negotiations, Russia-Ukraine talks, a potential India tariff deal, and the possibility of a Gaza “freedom zone.”

He addressed thousands of US troops at Al Udeid Air Base, marking his largest crowd of the trip and an effort to highlight US-Qatari security ties.

Trump was also greeted with much fanfare by the country’s emir and treated to a state dinner.

The president is expected to tour Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and attend a state dinner in Abu Dhabi upon his arrival.

President Donald Trump gestures while delivering remarks to U.S. troops during a visit to Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday.

President Donald Trump on Thursday thanked US troops for political support during a campaign rally-style visit to a US installation in Qatar, telling troops stationed at Al Udeid Air Base that “nobody’s been stronger than the military in terms of backing us.”

“There’s – nobody been stronger than the military in terms of backing us, nobody. So, I just want to thank you all very much. Great honor. Thank you very much,” Trump said at the largest US military installation in the Middle East, a base highlighting the deep security ties between the US and Qatar.

Trump, who is on the second of three stops in the Middle East, also repeated baseless claims of 2020 election fraud while on foreign soil, noting calls to seek a fourth term.

President Donald Trump said his priority is to end wars, but he won’t hesitate to “wield American power if it’s required,” while addressing US troops in Qatar on Thursday.

Trump visited the Al Udeid Air Base, which houses 10,000 American troops and plays a critical role in US foreign policy, on his first major international presidential visit of his second term.

President Donald Trump delivers remarks to US troops during a visit to Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday.

President Donald Trump is speaking at the largest US military installation in the Middle East, the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

The base houses more than 10,000 troops and has played a pivotal role in US foreign policy over the last two decades.

President Donald Trump, flanked by chairman and CEO of GE Aerospace Larry Culp, right, and CEO of Boeing Kelly Ortberg, meets with business leaders at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday.

President Donald Trump on Thursday morning appeared to indicate that the US has reached a trade deal with India, in which, India is “willing to literally charge us no tariff.”

“India is the highest – one of the highest tariff nations in the world. It’s very hard to sell into India, and they’ve offered us a deal where, basically, they’re willing to literally charge us no tariff,” Trump said during a roundtable with business leaders in Doha.

On his so-called “liberation day,” Trump imposed 26% tariffs on India. The US has a $45.6 billion trading deficit with India.

Military personnel at the Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday.

As President Donald Trump makes his way to the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US military installation in the Middle East, the warm-up acts have already begun for a few thousand troops waiting to see their commander-in-chief.

Von was among the right-leaning podcasters whose support of Trump in the presidential campaign was credited with helping to win the support of many young men. Today, he offered a few jokes at the president’s expense.

Lee Greenwood, the country music star whose “God Bless the USA” has become the anthem of Trump campaign rallies over the past decade, is also on hand here on the base outside of Doha.

Some background: Trump is making his first visit to Al Udeid Air base, which houses more than 10,000 troops and has played a pivotal role in US foreign policy over the last two decades. It served as a critical launching pad for airstrikes and intelligence missions over Afghanistan and was the main CENTCOM base following the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

It’s the largest audience the president will face on his trip across the Middle East this week. He is expected to take a tour of base facilities before giving a rally-style speech to troops.