What does Trump want from his Middle East tour?

In the first major foreign trip of the US President's second term, it's not just business deals with the Gulf monarchies that are on the agenda.

- Jonathan Eyal

US President Donald Trump is not a man who does things in half measures. So, as he embarks on his tour of the Middle East this week, the President is vowing to squeeze the cash-rich monarchies of the Gulf: "They are going to be spending a lot of money on American companies for buying military equipment and a lot of other things."

And, as one would expect from Mr Trump, no visit is complete without tossing a diplomatic hand grenade. The one publicity stunt this time is the President's apparent intention to announce during his trip that the US will, from now on, refer to the Middle East's main waterway as the "Arabian Gulf" or the "Gulf of Arabia", rather than the Persian Gulf, its historic name.

"I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. I don't know if feelings are going to be hurt," Mr Trump helpfully explained, knowing fully well that his decision is guaranteed to infuriate every Iranian, including all those opposing Iran's theocratic regime.

Yet beyond all those inflated claims of multibillion-dollar arms sale deals and artificial controversies, one serious fact stands out: Mr Trump is seeking to reduce and recalibrate America's military and political commitment to the Middle East.

And, in a surprising twist, this change in US position often means either ignoring or marginalising Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, until now assumed to be one of Mr Trump's closest soulmates.

For such reasons alone, the American President's Middle East visit, starting with Saudi Arabia on May 13 and going on to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, is worth following.

DOLLAR SIGNS EVERYWHERE It goes without saying that Mr Trump has always viewed the Middle East as primarily a business opportunity.