Simon Henderson is the Baker Senior Fellow and director of the Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy at The Washington Institute, specializing in energy matters and the conservative Arab states of the Persian Gulf.
In this fourth of several daily videos from Washington Institute scholars, Simon Henderson presents details of economic and diplomatic initiatives involving Qatar on the second day of President Trump's May 2025 trip to the Gulf region.
President Trump's visit to Qatar has continued the business theme of his Gulf trip. Arriving on Wednesday from Riyadh, he promptly signed a deal with Amir Tamim for 210 new Boeing aircraft with General Electric engines for Qatar Airways. He valued the deal at $200 billion. The state-owned airline is already a major force in international aviation, using its Doha hub to fly to more than 170 international destinations.
The two leaders also signed agreements which, according to President Trump, will lead to $1.2 trillion in economic activity. The Gulf state's immense wealth is based on natural gas, of which it has huge reserves. Qatar regards the United States as a crucial ally and allows it to use the Al Udeid airbase, the largest American military facility in the Middle East. The base contains a very sophisticated command-and-control facility, which enables the United States to coordinate the defense of its allies in the region.
A statement of intent that could lead to $38 billion in investments at Al Udeid, and for other air defense and maritime security capabilities, was also signed.
Qatar has faced criticism in the United States and other parts of the world for its relations with Hamas in Gaza, and before that, the Taliban in Afghanistan. Yet the US values Qatar's ability and willingness to act as a diplomatic intermediary. Qatar's diplomatic role explains in part, the controversy surrounding the expectation that President Trump will take from Qatar a new Air Force One worth $400 million, to use as his command post for the rest of his term.
After staying overnight in Doha, President Trump moves on to his next and last Gulf destination, Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
