Donald Trump signed a deal with Qatar for its state carrier, Qatar Airways, to buy jets from the U.S. manufacturer Boeing as part of a deal worth $200 billion.
This comes after Trump hailed the Syrian president as a “young, attractive guy” after the first meeting between the nations’ leaders in 25 years.
The meeting in Riyadh on Wednesday came after the president made a surprise announcement that the U.S. would lift all sanctions on Syria, saying it would give the country a “chance for greatness.”
Trump praised Ahmad al-Sharaa in a dramatic turnaround for a former al-Qaeda member for whom America had previously put out a $10 million reward.
In their meeting, Trump urged al-Sharaa to normalise relations with Israel, while the Syrian leader invited American companies to invest in Syrian oil and gas.
The first leg of Trump’s tour saw him sign a $142 billion arms deal in Saudi Arabia. In a speech to Saudi leaders, Trump also gave an ultimatum to Iran as he said he wanted to “make a deal” with the country and make “the world a safer place”.
Trump’s visit to Qatar has been overshadowed by a backlash against the country’s proposed gift of a $400m luxury plane.
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Key Points
- End of U.S. sanctions gives Syria 'a chance for greatness', Trump says
- First meeting between U.S. and Syrian leaders in 25 years
- Trump calls Syrian president 'young, attractive guy'
- Watch: Trump wants to make deal with Iran - on three conditions
- Trump says $200 billion in deals agreed between U.S. and Qatar
20:50
,
Gustaf Kilander
Our live coverage has ended. Here's a full breakdown:
Why did Saudi Arabia roll out a lavender carpet for Trump?
06:44
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Maroosha Muzaffar
Saudi Arabia welcomed Donald Trump with a lavender carpet, part of a protocol introduced in 2021 to replace the traditional red.
The lavender symbolises blooming desert wildflowers, Saudi generosity, and is a symbolic colour for the kingdom that celebrates national identity.
According to The New York Times, the lavender carpet symbolises the growth envisioned in Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 plan to diversify Saudi Arabia’s oil-dependent economy.
The carpet, bordered with traditional Al Sadu textile design created by Bedouin women, reflects Saudi heritage and is reserved for top-level state visits.
“Lavender in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is associated with blossoming wildflowers that carpet the kingdom’s desert landscapes in the spring and is a symbol of Saudi generosity,” a 2021 report by the Saudi Press Agency says.
Jon Stewart jokes Trump is the ‘reverse Oprah’ after $400m Boeing jet gift
06:54
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Maroosha Muzaffar
Jon Stewart, the host of satirical comedy series The Daily Show, has dubbed Donald Trump the “reverse Oprah”, as the US president is poised to accept a $400m (£302.8m) luxury jet from the Qatari royal family.
The “palace in the sky”, which is expected to be used as the new Air Force One for much of the rest of Trump’s term, will be donated to the Trump presidential library near the end of his time in office.
Oprah Winfrey, 71, who had an eponymous talk show from 1986 to 2011, went down in TV history in 2004 when she gifted every live audience member a Pontiac G6, uttering the now-famous phrase: “You get a car!”
Stewart, 62, contrasted Trump and Winfrey’s generosity levels on Monday’s episode (12 May) of his Comedy Central show, joking: “What? Qatar is giving us a plane that Trump gets to keep? He’s like the reverse Oprah. ‘I get a jet! … and that’s it. I get a jet, for my library.’”
The presenter continued: “Why does his library need a jet? ‘Yeah, I’m calling from Europe, and I need a book about Trump by morning. And the book must travel in the comfort and style one can only get from Qatar.’”
Trump to meet interim Syrian president before flying to Qatar
07:03
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
During his Gulf tour, president Donald Trump will meet Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al Sharaa, in Riyadh following a surprise announcement that the United States will lift long-standing sanctions on Syria.
Trump’s first day in the region was marked by a grand welcome and the signing of major agreements, including £450bn in Saudi investment commitments in the US and £107bn in American arms sales to the kingdom.
Sharaa is in Riyadh for meetings with the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the brief encounter with Trump is seen as part of broader regional diplomacy.
Later today, Trump will travel to Doha for a state visit with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
Trump hopes Syrian government can succeed in 'keeping peace'
07:24
,
Rachel Clun
During the address in which he announced the U.S. would be lifting sanctions on Syria, Donald Trump said he wanted to see lasting peace in the country.
"There is a new government that will hopefully succeed in stabilizing the country and keeping peace," Trump said. "That's what we want to see in Syria."
The sanctions have been in place since 2011, dating back to the rule of Bashar Assad and the start of the Syrian civil war.
Both the Biden and Trump administrations had left the sanctions in place after Assad's fall as they sought to take the measure of Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has renounced his past affiliation with al-Qaida.
Trump announced those sanctions would be lifted in a wide-ranging address in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Tuesday.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman encouraged the president to meet with al-Sharaa while on his Gulf nations visit.
Who is Ahmed al-Sharaa?
07:49
,
Associated Press
Formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, al-Sharaa joined the ranks of al-Qaida insurgents battling U.S. forces in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion and still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq.
The U.S. once offered $10 million for information about his whereabouts because of his links to al-Qaida.
Al-Sharaa came back to his home country of Syria after the conflict began in 2011 and led al-Qaida's branch that used to be known as the Nusra Front. He later changed the name of his group to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and cut links with al-Qaida.
Trump’s agenda for Wednesday: Meeting with Syrian leader
08:05
,
Rachel Clun, Reuters
Donald Trump will meet Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa ahead of broader meetings in Riyadh this morning, according to the Washington Post’s pool report.
That meeting will occur before the president attends a meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Later today, Trump will fly to the Qatari capital Doha, where he will participate in a state visit with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and other officials.
Trump's visit to Doha was to follow the White House's announcement that it plans to accept a luxury $400 million Boeing 747-8 plane, which would be outfitted to serve as Air Force One, as a gift from the Qataris.
While the precise details of the investments Qatar plans to announce on Wednesday were unclear, Qatar Airways was expected to announce a deal to buy around 100 jets from Boeing, according to a source familiar with the matter.
‘Why wouldn’t I accept a gift?’ stumped Trump asks amid Qatari jet furor
08:22
,
Mary Papenfuss
President Donald Trump apparently has no idea what could possibly be concerning about accepting a $400 million gift of an Air Force One replacement from Qatar, the bankroller of Hamas who might look for a favor in the future in return.
“Why wouldn’t I accept a gift?” the perplexed president asked Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview that aired Tuesday.
The Qatari aircraft – so luxurious it reportedly has been called a “flying palace” – would be the most expensive gift ever given an American president.
Read the full story below:
Trump meets Syrian president
08:38
,
Rachel Clun
Donald Trump is meeting with Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia, according to reports.
The White House on Tuesday said the president would “say hello” to al-Sharaa before a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Riyadh this morning.
Washington Post pool and several other media outlets have reported that meeting is underway.
First meeting between U.S. and Syrian leaders in 25 years
08:51
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Rachel Clun, Associated Press
The meeting between Donald Trump and Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa is the first time the leaders of both countries have met in 25 years.
America had once offered a $10 million reward for information about the whereabouts of al-Sharaa, a onetime insurgent then known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani.
He had joined the ranks of al-Qaida insurgents battling U.S. forces in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq.
He later changed the name of his group and cut links with al-Qaida before they finally succeeded in overthrowing President Bashar Assad in December.
Trump and al-Sharaa meeting lasted half an hour: reports
09:05
,
Rachel Clun
The meeting between presidents Donald Trump and Ahmad al-Sharaa lasted a little over half an hour, according to reports.
The White House told the Washington Post that the meeting went for 33 minutes, from 10.07am to 10.40am local time.
Watch live: Trump meets Gulf nations leaders after lifting Syrian sanctions during Middle East visit
09:10
,
Rachel Clun
Donald Trump is attending a Gulf Cooperation Council summit, after meeting with the president of Syria.
Watch live:
Trump praises progress, unity in Middle East
09:12
,
Rachel Clun
Donald Trump is now addressing a summit of Middle East leaders at a Gulf Cooperation Council summit.
He started by praising Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Sulman, who was at the “forefront of creating a stable, peaceful, prosperous Middle East, and I have to say that I've seen such progress.”
“It's really incredible,” he continued. “I've also seen great unity in friendships.”
Trump says loyalties with Gulf allies will 'never waver', wants to do a deal with Iran.
09:15
,
Rachel Clun
The president has attacked the previous Biden administration’s approach to the Middle East while lauding his own relationships with the Gulf nations.
“Everybody at this table knows where my loyalties lie. Always have they'll never waver, never; and we'll stand with our friends and partners, and we'll confront the aggression that threatens us all,” he said.
Trump also reiterated that he wants to do a deal with Iran.
“I want to do something, if it's possible. But for that to happen, it must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars, and permanently and verifiably cease its pursuit of nuclear weapons. They cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
Trump hopes for 'safety and dignity' of Palestinians
09:18
,
Rachel Clun
Donald Trump has praised the efforts of Gulf nation leaders to end the war in Gaza.
“My administration shares the hope of so many in this region for the future of safety and dignity of the Palestinian people,” he said.
“But that cannot happen as long as Gaza's leaders take delight in raping, torturing and murdering innocent people. Can't have it.”
End of U.S. sanctions gives Syria 'a chance for greatness', Trump says
09:25
,
Rachel Clun
Donald Trump says ending sanctions on Syria is a “going to be a good thing” following his meeting with the country’s president earlier this morning.
Trump said it was his “honor” to drop the sanctions, after being persuaded by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Sulman and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“It gives them a chance for greatness. The sanctions were really crippling, very powerful,” Trump said.
“And I spoke to Mohammed, and I spoke to our friend from Turkey, who we just spoke to also by phone now, but felt very strongly that this would give them a chance. It's not going to be easy anyway, [but it] gives them a good, strong chance, and it was my honor to do so.
“So we will be dropping all of the sanctions on Syria, which I think really is going to be a good thing.”
In photos: Trump meets Syria's president
09:28
,
Rachel Clun
Before the summit with Gulf nation leaders, President Donald Trump met with Syrian leader Ahmad al-Sharaa.
A Trump Tower in Damascus part of Syrian leader's plan to woo U.S.
09:40
,
Rachel Clun
A Trump Tower in Damascus and U.S. access to Syrian oil and gas were among the Syrian leader’s pitch to get a meeting with Donald Trump, according to reports.
Sources close to the push told Reuters that Ahmad al-Sharaa also offered to improve relations with Israel in a bid to get face time with the U.S president.
Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader Mohammed bin Sulman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had both urged Trump to meet with al-Sharaa and relax sanctions.
The U.S placed sanctions on Syria when it was ruled by Bashar Assad, as the civil war began in 2011.
Trump made the surprise announcement that he would remove the sanctions in a keynote speech in Riyadh on Tuesday evening.
Jonathan Bass, an American pro-Trump activist who met al-Sharaa last month, said the Syrian leader wants business deals to help his country.
"He told me he wants a Trump Tower in Damascus. He wants peace with his neighbours. What he told me is good for the region, good for Israel," Bass told Reuters.
Trump asks Syria to improve relations with Israel, Syria offers oil and gas access
09:52
,
Rachel Clun, Reuters
Donald Trump urged the Syrian leader to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel, while Ahmad al-Sharaa invited American companies to invest in Syria’s oil and gas.
During a half-hour meeting in Riyadh this morning, the White House said Trump also urged al-Sharaa to “deport Palestinian terrorists” and asked the Syrian president to help the U.S prevent a resurgence of terrorist group Isis.
The U.S. president urged his counterpart to sign onto the Abraham Accords, a series of agreements brokered by America to help improve diplomatic relationships beween Israel and Arab nations.
Saudi prince Mohammed bin Sulman also attended the meeting, while Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined online.
Trump said afterwards that it was the start of normalizing relations between the U.S. and Syria.
Watch: Trump wants to make deal with Iran - on three conditions
10:20
,
Rachel Clun
President urges more Arab nations to normalise diplomatic ties with Israel
10:38
,
Rachel Clun
Donald Trump urged more Gulf nations to improve diplomatic ties with Israel.
Speaking at a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council - an economic alliance between Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates - the president thanked the leaders of the UAE and Bahrain for signing on to the Abraham Accords.
“I especially want to thank and congratulate the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain for their vision and courage in signing the historic Abraham Accords. It was something that's a very big thing,” he said.
The Abraham Accords, a series of agreements brokered by America to help improve diplomatic relationships between Israel and several Arab nations. So far, Trump said, four nations have signed the agreement.
“In the future, we'll continue that progress by adding more countries to the Abraham Accords,” he said.
In his earlier meeting with interim Syrian president Ahmad al-Sharaa, Trump also urged him to sign up to the agreements.
Who is Ahmad al-Sharaa? Syria’s president who met Trump and once had $10m US bounty on his head
10:53
,
Rachel Clun
Six months after Ahmad al-Sharaa led the ousting of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, US president Donald Trump sat down with the former al-Qaeda figure to talk about Syria’s “chance at greatness”.
The meeting was a dramatic turnaround for a militant figure who spent years imprisoned by US forces after being captured in Iraq.
Trump wants an Iran deal - and Iran responds
11:18
,
Rachel Clun
Donald Trump has reiterated he wants a deal with Iran, but it cannot occur until several things happen.
“I want to make a deal with Iran. I want to do something, if it's possible,” he said in an address to Gulf nations leaders.
“But for that to happen, it must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars, and permanently and verifiably cease its pursuit of nuclear weapons. They cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
Since early April, Iran and the U.S. have engaged in four rounds of talks focusing on Iran’s nuclear program which could see America lifting or reducing sanctions.
Trump has repeatedly said he believes a deal is possible, but the window is closing.
In Iran, foreign minister Abbas Araghchi called Mr Trump's remarks "deceitful" but did not directly address the US leader's call on Iran to cease support of proxy groups.
Donald Trump leaves Saudi Arabia for Qatar
11:33
,
Rachel Clun
Donald Trump has left Saudi Arabia after a host of meetings, travelling to the second stop of his Middle East trip: Qatar.
Shortly, he will land in the Qatari capital Doha, where he will participate in a state visit with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and other officials.
Sheikh Tamim, 44, has been in power since June 2013 after his father stepped down.
Recap of Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia
11:48
,
Rachel Clun
The president is in the air on his way to the second stop of his three-nation tour of Gulf nations, his first official diplomatic trip this term.
Donald Trump spent less than two days in Saudi Arabia, but he covered a lot of ground. Here are the main takeaways:
- U.S. will lift sanctions on Syria to give the country a “chance for greatness”, Trump says.
- Trump met with interim Syrian president Ahmad al-Sharaa to begin normalising relations between the two countries.
- The U.S and Saudi Arabia signed an economic agreement, with the Saudis recommitting to investing $600 billion in the U.S. during Trump’s term.
- The Trump administration signed a $142 billion deal to supply arms to Saudi Arabia.
- Donald Trump reiterated his desire for a deal with Iran, but said Tehran would need to meet key conditions for that to happen.
White House press secretary details meeting between Trump and al-Sharaa
12:03
,
Rachel Clun
White House Press secretary Karoline Leavitt has detailed the meeting earlier today between president Donald Trump and interim Syrian president Ahmad al-Sharaa.
The meeting also included Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“President Trump thanked President Erdogan and the Crown Prince for their friendship, and told President Al-Sharaa that he has a tremendous opportunity to do something historic in his country,” she said on social media.
She then listed the requests Trump made of al-Sharaa:
- Sign onto the Abraham Accords with Israel
- Tell all foreign terrorists to leave Syria
- Deport Palestinian terrorists
- Help the United States to prevent the resurgence of ISIS
- Assume responsibility for ISIS detention centers in Northeast Syria
Today, President Trump, at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. President Erdogan of Turkey joined by phone. President Erdogan praised President Trump for lifting sanctions on Syria and committed to working alongside Saudi… pic.twitter.com/0yhyZbQ1o0
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) May 14, 2025
Donald Trump appears to refuse to drink coffee during Saudi Arabia ceremony
12:18
,
Rachel Clun
Earlier in his Saudi Arabia visit, Donald Trump appeared to refuse to drink coffee offered to him by Saudi officials during a royal welcome ceremony.
Trump calls Syrian president 'young, attractive guy'
12:32
,
Rachel Clun
On the flight to Doha, president Donald Trump said he had a “great” meeting with Syrian president Ahmad al-Sharaa.
Trump told reporters on Air Force One that al-Sharaa was a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”
He continued: “He’s got a real shot at holding it together. I spoke with President Erdogan, who is very friendly with him. He feels she’s got a shot of doing a good job. It’s a torn up country.”
The president also said he believed Syria would sign up to the Abraham Accords at some point, to normalise the country’s relations with Israel.
“I think they have to get themselves straightened up. I told him, ‘I hope you’re going to join when it’s straightened out.’ He said, ‘Yes.’ But they have a lot of work to do.”
In pictures: Donald Trump arrives in Qatar
12:38
,
Rachel Clun
Donald Trump has arrived in Qatar, the second country in his Middle East tour.
Trump was greeted by Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani as he arrived on Air Force One at Hamad International Airport in Doha
Trump says there was no discussion about a Trump Tower in Syria
12:45
,
Andrew Feinberg
White House correspondent Andrew Feiberg has more from Donald Trump’s meeting with the Syrian leader:
The president's meeting with al-Sharaa came on the heels of his announcement that he would drop U.S. sanctions that had been imposed on the previous Syrian government, led by exiled dictator Bashar al-Assad.
It also followed reporting that al-Sharaa had discussed offering Trump's eponymous real estate company an opportunity to build a skyscraper in Damascus as an incentive to thaw relations.
But Trump told reporters no talks about a potential Trump Tower in the Syrian capital took place.
"We’ll have to wait a little while until things calm down, a little while with the country," he said, adding that al-Sharaa was "a real leader."
"He led a charge and he’s pretty amazing," he said.
Cybertrucks form part of presidential motorcade in Qatar
13:44
,
Rachel Clun
Donald Trump was welcomed to Qatar by men mounted on camels, sword dancers and an honor guard on horseback – but also, by something distinctly American.
Amid the normal armoured vehicles usually seen in such convoys, the Qataris had included Tesla Cybertrucks, with red official decals.
Billionaire Tesla owner Elon Musk has also joined the president on his Middle East tour, meeting with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday and speaking at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum yesterday evening.
The Cybertrucks led the large motorcade from Hamad International Airport to the Amiri Diwan, the official workplace of the emir.
Trump expects hundreds of billions of dollars in investments from Qatar
14:14
,
Rachel Clun, Reuters
While geopolitics and security issues have been on the agenda of Donald Trump’s first official foreign visits this term, the main aim of the president’s trip to the Middle East has been to do deals.
On Tuesday he jointly announced hundreds of billions of dollars worth of deals with Saudi Arabia, including a $142 billion arms agreement.
Later today, he’s expected to announce even more investments in the U.S. following meetings with Qatari officials, the first visit to Qatar by a U.S. president in 23 years.
It’s a shift in Trump’s approach to Qatar from his first term. In 2017 he isolated the kingdom when he lent initial support to a trade and diplomatic embargo that other Arab nations imposed on Doha, one of the worst crises Qatar had ever faced.
Gas-rich Qatar has since rehabilitated itself in the eyes of the U.S.
Qatar Airways was expected to disclose a deal to buy around 100 widebody jets from Boeing, a source familiar with the matter said.
Trump is expected to sign agreements with the emir later today.
'It didn't come up': Two contentious issues not discussed with Saudi Arabia
14:14
,
Andrew Feinberg
President Trump says two contentious issues in U.S.-Saudi relations were not on the table during his meetings with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman during his stay in Riyadh.
During a question-and-answer session with press aboard Air Force One on the way to Qatar, Trump said he did not discuss the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour with the crown prince, who is known by his initials MBS.
Trump also said the two leaders hadn't discussed a demand from families of victims of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks for him to request extradition of a Saudi intelligence agent, Omar al-Bayoumi, who is alleged to have had ties to the terrorists who killed thousands by flying passenger airliners into New York's World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon.
“I know all about it. But it didn’t come up," he said.
Trump says he can either do a friendly or unfriendly deal with Iran
14:28
,
Rachel Clun
On the plane on his way to Qatar, the President was asked whether he was considering secondary sanctions on Iran oil exports.
Trump said: “let’s see what happens over the next week. I don’t really want to answer it because I want to see what happens over the next week.
“Hopefully they’re going to make the right decision because something’s going to happen one way or the other. Very simple. It’s going to happen one way or the other.
He continued: “They can’t have a nuclear weapon. So we’ll either do it friendly or we’ll do it very unfriendly and that won’t be pleasant.”
