The signing last week of the civil nuclear agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia illustrates the system of relationships Donald Trump has built in the Middle East since returning to the White House in January 2025. Countries are receiving strategic assets from Washington, including advanced fighter jets, missile defense systems, AI chips, civil nuclear cooperation and security commitments. In return, the United States is securing orders for Boeing, defense and energy companies, and commitments to purchase hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of American goods and services. Businesses linked to the Trump family and Jared Kushner have been expanding across Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, though there is no public evidence of a quid pro quo. Saudi Arabia is the centerpiece of this model. During Trump's visit in May 2025, the White House announced a Saudi commitment to investments and procurement worth $600 billion, including an arms deal valued at nearly $142 billion. In November, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman raised Saudi Arabia's investment commitment to "nearly a trillion dollars." The two countries signed a strategic defense agreement, and Trump approved a pathway for the sale of F-35 fighter jets and nearly 300 American tanks, while signing a framework for cooperation on critical minerals and a memorandum of understanding on artificial intelligence.