Trump's Mideast Tour Ends With Opulence, Business Deals, and $400M Jet

President Donald Trump used the first major foreign trip of his second term to outline a vision for restoring global stability that is grounded in pragmatism and self-interest rather than values, holding out U.S. ties to wealthy Gulf countries as a model for America's longtime foes.

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His four-day swing through Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, which ends Friday, put a spotlight on Trump's transactional approach to foreign affairs as he was feted by autocratic rulers with a trio of lavish state visits where there was heavy emphasis on economic and security partnerships.

His trip played out against the backdrop of stubborn global conflicts, including Gaza and Ukraine, that showed the limits of his influence. But Trump insisted he was turning the page on American "interventionalism" in the region as he moved to recognize the new government in Syria for the first time and prodded Iran to engage on nuclear talks before it's too late.

Some takeaways from Trump's travels:

Presidential trips to the Middle East usually feature at least some public calls for authoritarian governments to improve their human rights efforts. Not this one, as Trump celebrated his business deals with Gulf royals and admired their wealth.