In an emotional and widely shared moment, President Donald J. Trump spoke directly with Edan Alexander, the 21-year-old American-Israeli soldier who was recently freed from Hamas captivity, during a phone call captured on camera and released by the White House.
"Mr. President," Alexander greeted Trump at the start of the call, visibly moved. "You’re the only reason I’m here. You saved my life."
The phone conversation, which took place while Alexander was recovering at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, came just days after his dramatic release from Gaza, where he was held hostage for over 580 days following his abduction by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.
President Trump greeted Edan with a bit of humor and humility, saying "I'm very nervous talking to you, Edan, because you're a much bigger celebrity than I am."
Trump also expressed American solidarity and the administration’s commitment to bringing all hostages home while on the call.
"You’re an American, and we love you," Trump told Alexander. "We’re going to take good care of you. And your parents are incredible. I saw your mother. She was pushing me around a little bit—putting a lot of pressure on me."
"Like a good mom!" exclaimed Edan's mother in the background.
The heartfelt exchange was posted online by the official White House account and has quickly gone viral, drawing praise from across the political spectrum for its display of humanity and international unity.
Alexander’s release came amid intensified U.S. diplomatic pressure and quiet negotiations, coordinated in part by senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler.
Trump had previously signaled his determination to secure the freedom of American citizens held abroad and made Alexander’s case a top priority.
The Alexander family issued a statement thanking President Trump directly, along with the negotiation team and the Israeli Defense Forces, calling the outcome "a miracle rooted in strength, diplomacy, and prayer."
Edan Alexander’s homecoming has reignited calls to bring home the remaining hostages still held in Gaza.
A coalition of 65 former hostages recently signed a letter urging both President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "build on this breakthrough" and intensify efforts for a comprehensive agreement to ensure every hostage’s safe return.
Prime Minister Netanyahu acknowledged the success of this combined effort, stating, "This was achieved thanks to our military pressure and the diplomatic pressure applied by President Trump. This is a winning combination."
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
President Donald Trump spent his 17th week as commander-in-chief visiting the Middle East, marking his first major overseas trip of his second term.
The president left Washington, D.C., Monday for Saudi Arabia, followed by a visit in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The president’s trip comes amid the continuing war between Israel and Hamas, ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, and his plans to broaden his first administration’s Abraham Accords, which normalized diplomatic relations between Israel and Arab League nations such as the United Arab Emirates.
Trump arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, early Tuesday morning, with the nation sending fighter jet escorts to welcome Air Force One to the ground and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greeting Trump on the tarmac, which was adorned with a lavender-colored carpet.
Upon his arrival to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Trump was also met with a mobile and operational McDonald’s truck.
The president, during a speech in Riyadh shortly after meeting with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, vowed to continue America’s partnership with the Saudi Arabian government, but also called for peace in the Middle East, urging the region to pursue economic development rather than Iran’s "self-destructive" path.
"If the responsible nations of this region seize this moment, put aside your differences and focus on the interests that unite you, then all humanity will soon be amazed at what we will see here in the geographic center of the world, and the spiritual heart of its greatest faiths," Trump said.
"Before our eyes, a new generation of leaders is transcending the ancient conflicts and tired divisions of the past, and forging a future where the Middle East is defined by commerce, not chaos; where it exports technology, not terrorism; and where people of different nations, religions, and creeds are building cities together, not bombing each other," he added.
Trump's speech came after he and Salman signed several economic agreements totaling $600 billion in trade deals. The agreements could help create up to two million U.S. jobs, Trump said.
Several of the agreements tracked with previously stated ambitions by both Washington, D.C., and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, particularly when it comes to defensive deals.
But as for Iran, Trump, during his Saudi Arabia speech, also warned the Islamic Republic of a "massive maximum pressure" campaign if it did not come to a nuclear agreement with the U.S.
"As I have shown repeatedly, I am willing to end past conflicts and forge new partnerships for a better and more stable world, even if our differences may be profound," Trump said. "If Iran’s leadership rejects this olive branch... we will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure, drive Iranian oil exports to zero."
"Iran can have a much brighter future, but we will never allow them to threaten America and our allies with terrorism or a nuclear attack," Trump said.
Trump had announced a 60-day time frame to reach an agreement with Iran over its illegal atomic weapons program. The first U.S. negotiating session with Iran commenced April 12.
Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Iranian officials for a fourth round of nuclear talks over the weekend.
The nuclear talks were "difficult but useful," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations, offered more, describing the talks as being both indirect and direct, The Associated Press reported.
An "agreement was reached to move forward with the talks to continue working through technical elements," the U.S. official said. "We are encouraged by today’s outcome and look forward to our next meeting, which will happen in the near future."
The Trump administration has said the flawed 2015 Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, did not prevent Iran from building an atomic bomb.
Trump, throughout his visit, made stark warnings to Iran — verbally, and through sanctions.
Just shortly after dangling a carrot of a "brighter future" for Iran, the Treasury Department gave a taste of Trump’s "maximum pressure" campaign and sanctioned more than two dozen firms operating in Iran’s illicit international oil trade.
"But more importantly, they know they have to move quickly or something bad — something bad is going to happen," the president said.
Next, the president traveled to Qatar, where he signed a series of agreements with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha.
Trump and his motorcade were greeted by dozens of mounted camels after his plane landed in Qatar Wednesday morning as he continues his four-day trip to the Middle East.
The agreements there involved a purchasing agreement by Qatar for Boeing aircraft, as well as letters of intent and "joint cooperation" between Qatar and the U.S. The emir also signed an intent agreement to purchase MQ-9 drone aircraft.
Al Thani said he had a "great" conversation with Trump prior to the signing ceremony Wednesday, adding that the agreements have elevated the U.S.-Qatar relationship to "another level."
The president then met with U.S. service members at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, and cited "substantial pay raises" for U.S. troops in his 2026 budget.
"You are without a doubt the greatest fighting force in the history of the world," Trump said. "And as your commander-in-chief, I'm here to say that America's military will soon be bigger, better, stronger and more powerful than ever."
Next, the president traveled to the United Arab Emirates for his final stop — a visit that marked the first time a U.S. president has traveled to the nation in nearly 20 years, following President George W. Bush's trip in 2008.
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world, was illuminated in red, white and blue in honor of President's historic UAE visit.
Trump visited the Grand Mosque, a rare visit for a U.S. president, and was gifted the UAE’s highest civilian honor, the Order of Zayed, by UAE’s President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The president wrapped up his visit to the United Arab Emirates with a visit to the Abrahamic Family House, which encompasses a mosque, a church, a synagogue, and a forum, and served as a community for inter-religious dialogue and peaceful co-existence.
As of this week, Trump has signed 148 executive orders since his inauguration in January, including a whopping 143 within his first 100 days as president, dwarfing the number of executive orders signed by his predecessors stretching back to at least President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton, Morgan Phillis and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
President Trump spent his 17th week as commander-in-chief visiting the Middle East, marking his first major overseas trip of his second term.
The president left Washington, D.C. on Monday for Saudi Arabia, followed by a visit in Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
The president’s trip comes amid the continuing war between Israel and Hamas, ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, and his plans to broaden his first administration’s Abraham Accords, which normalized diplomatic relations between Israel and Arab League nations such as the United Arab Emirates.
Trump arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, early Tuesday morning, with the nation sending fighter jet escorts to welcome Air Force One to the ground and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greeting Trump on the tarmac that was adorned with a lavender-colored carpet.
Upon his arrival to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Trump was also met with a mobile and operational McDonald’s truck.
The president, during a speech in Riyadh shortly after meeting with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, vowed to continue America’s partnership with the Saudi Arabian government, but also called for peace in the Middle East, urging the region to pursue economic development rather than Iran’s "self-destructive" path.
"If the responsible nations of this region seize this moment, put aside your differences and focus on the interests that unite you, then all humanity will soon be amazed at what we will see here in the geographic center of the world, and the spiritual heart of its greatest faiths," Trump said.
"Before our eyes, a new generation of leaders is transcending the ancient conflicts and tired divisions of the past, and forging a future where the Middle East is defined by commerce, not chaos; where it exports technology, not terrorism; and where people of different nations, religions, and creeds are building cities together, not bombing each other," he added.
Trump's speech came after he and Salman signed several economic agreements totaling $600 billion in trade deals. The agreements could help create up to 2 million U.S. jobs, Trump said.
Several of the agreements tracked with previously stated ambitions by both Washington, D.C., and Riyadh, particularly when it comes to defensive deals.
But as for Iran, Trump, during his speech in Riyadh, also warned the Islamic Republic of a "massive maximum pressure" campaign if they did not come to a nuclear agreement with the U.S.
"As I have shown repeatedly, I am willing to end past conflicts and forge new partnerships for a better and more stable world, even if our differences may be profound," Trump said. "If Iran’s leadership rejects this olive branch... we will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure, drive Iranian oil exports to zero."
"Iran can have a much brighter future, but we will never allow them to threaten America and our allies with terrorism or a nuclear attack," Trump said.
Trump had announced a 60-day time frame to reach an agreement with Iran over its illegal atomic weapons program. The first U.S. negotiating session with Iran commenced April 12.
Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Iranian officials for a fourth round of nuclear talks over the weekend.
The nuclear talks were "difficult but useful," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations, offered more, describing the talks as being both indirect and direct, The Associated Press reported.
An "agreement was reached to move forward with the talks to continue working through technical elements," the U.S. official said. "We are encouraged by today’s outcome and look forward to our next meeting, which will happen in the near future."
The Trump administration has said the flawed 2015 Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, did not prevent Iran from building an atomic bomb.
Trump, throughout his visit, made stark warnings to Iran—verbally, and through sanctions.
Just shortly after dangling a carrot of a "brighter future" for Iran, the Treasury Department gave a taste of Trump’s "maximum pressure" campaign and sanctioned more than two dozen firms operating in Iran’s illicit international oil trade.
And on Friday, Trump said Iran has the nuclear "proposal."
"But more importantly, they know they have to move quickly or something bad—something bad is going to happen," the president said.
Next, the president traveled to Qatar, where he signed a series of agreements with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha.
The agreements involved a purchasing agreement by Qatar for Boeing aircraft, as well as letters of intent and "joint cooperation" between Qatar and the U.S. The emir also signed an intent agreement to purchase MQ-9 drone aircraft.
Al Thani said he had a "great" conversation with Trump prior to the signing ceremony on Wednesday, adding that the agreements have elevated the U.S.-Qatar relationship to "another level."
The president then met with U.S. servicemembers at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, and cited "substantial pay raises" for U.S. troops in his 2026 budget.
"You are without a doubt the greatest fighting force in the history of the world," Trump said. "And as your commander-in-chief, I'm here to say that America's military will soon be bigger, better, stronger and more powerful than ever."
Next, the president traveled to the United Arab Emirates for his final stop—a visit that marked the first time a U.S. president has traveled to the nation in nearly 20 years, following President George W. Bush's trip in 2008.
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world, was illuminated in red, white, and blue in honor of President's historic UAE visit.
Trump visited the Grand Mosque, a rare visit for a U.S. president, and was gifted the UAE’s highest civilian honor, the Order of Zayed, by UAE’s President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The president wrapped up his visit to the United Arab Emirates with a visit to the Abrahamic Family House, which encompasses a mosque, a church, a synagogue, and a forum, and served as a community for inter-religious dialogue and peaceful co-existence.
As of this week, Trump has signed 148 executive orders since his inauguration in January, including a whopping 143 within his first 100 days as president, dwarfing the number of EOs signed by his predecessors stretching back to at least President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton, Morgan Phillis and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., recently claimed that widely-criticized negotiations with Qatar over a $400 million Air Force One temporary replacement gift began under the Biden administration – not after President Donald Trump took office.
"What no one is talking about is [that] this same 747 has been in negotiations for a year," Mullin said on CNN Wednesday.
"The Biden administration is the one that started these conversations. It didn't start underneath the Trump administration – why? Because we need a back-up for Air Force One."
Mullin said there is no current backup plane for Air Force One, which is about 40 years old. A recent backup was retired from service due to "structural issues," the senator said.
"The fact is, this conversation started with Qatar with Biden a year ago," he said.
Mullin had been privy to a recent conversation with the Qataris when the information about the Biden administration's reported role was gleaned, according to a spokesperson.
Mullin said he would give the media "a pass" for not knowing about the reported Biden-era negotiations with the Doha government.
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani dismissed the controversy in an interview with Fox News’ "Special Report," noting that his country had originally purchased the plane from "an American company"—Boeing.
"I don't see a point out of this [debate]," al-Thani said, adding it is a "really unfair accusation that Qatar is trying to buy influence."
For his part, Trump has pushed back on claims of corrupt intent in potentially accepting the gift from Doha on behalf of the U.S.
He rejected allegations from Democrats like Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York, who complained to the Government Accountability office that the deal is a "flying grift" and violates the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause prohibiting public officers from accepting presents or titles from royalty or foreign governments.
"The Boeing 747 is being given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
"It is a gift from a nation, Qatar, that we have successfully defended for many years. It will be used by our government as a temporary Air Force One, until such time as our new Boeings, which are very late on delivery, arrive."
Trump also said it would be foolish not to acknowledge the U.S.’ cost savings in the interim.
Trump said the plane would be given to the Pentagon, not himself – while Mullin and other defenders argued there was no such kerfuffle when the U.S. accepted the Statue of Liberty as a gift from the French government in the 1870s.
In the Mullin interview, CNN host Jake Tapper said Congress had authorized that particular gift.
After the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, Russian President Vladimir Putin also gave the U.S. a large teardrop-shaped sculpture memorializing the murdered Americans.
It currently sits at the Cape Liberty cruise port in New Jersey – in sight of Ground Zero – but Putin’s name was scrubbed from it by Bayonne officials after he invaded Ukraine.
Fox News Digital reached out to a representative for Biden for comment.
Children waved flags to welcome President Trump in the United Arab Emirates.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Trump's trip to the Middle East was marked by lavish displays of wealth from oil-rich Gulf states.
He was greeted with lavender carpets, processions of swordsmen and drummers, and lots of American flags.
The White House says Trump secured several major deals with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
President Donald Trump was courted like a king during his trip to the Middle East this week.
From lush lavender carpets, to processions of camels, to the Burj Khalifa lighting up in stars and stripes, to ceremonial songs and dances, the countries of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates greeted the president with lavish displays of wealth and extravagance.
Trump — who himself has a gold-gilded apartment modeled after the French Palace of Versailles, complete with a diamond-encrusted front door — seemed to love the royal treatment.
"As a construction guy, this is perfect marble," Trump said to Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, gesturing around him at a Qatari palace.
"This is what they call perfecto. We appreciate those camels," he said. "I haven't seen camels like that in a long time. And really, we appreciate it very much."
In the first overseas trip of his second term, the president visited the three oil-rich Persian Gulf countries in hopes of securing major deals with them — and on that promise, he seems to have mostly delivered.
Here's a look inside Trump's grand welcomes in the Middle East.
On his first leg of the trip, Trump was greeted by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on a stretch of lavender carpet, flanked by members of the Saudi Royal Guard.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greeted Trump upon his arrival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Bandar Al-Jaloud/Saudi Royal Court/Anadolu via Getty Images
A worker rushed to clean one of several lavender carpets ahead of Trump's arrival in Riyadh.
A worker rushes to clean a lavender carpet in Saudi Arabia.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Trump met with the crown prince inside Riyadh's ornate Royal Court, beneath a looming portrait of King Salman.
President Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman flanked by representatives on either side.
Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP
Trump's royal welcome in Riyadh included a luncheon and traditional coffee ceremony at the Royal Court.
Uniformed staffers wait before a luncheon with Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Saudi men and drummers greeted Trump during his tour of Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the ancestral home of the al Salman royal family.
A group of men wait to greet Trump in the old district of Diriyah in Saudi Arabia.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani greeted Trump in Doha alongside rows of armed guards, as some played musical instruments.
Trump walks with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in the capital of Doha.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
A police Cyber Truck joined Trump's motorcade welcome in Qatar as he headed to the Royal Palace.
A Tesla Cyber Truck escorted Trump's motorcade through Doha.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Skyscrapers throughout Doha, Qatar were lit up with the American flag to honor Trump's visit.
One of several skyscrapers in Doha lit up with the American flag.
Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Flanked by the American and Qatari flags, Trump spoke to a crowd of US and Qatari service members at the Al Udeid Air Base in Doha.
Trump spoke to a crowd of service members at the Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Inside Qatar's grand Lusail Palace, Trump and Qatar's Emir greeted a line of guests arriving for a state dinner.
A line of people wait to meet President Trump and Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad al Thani in Doha.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
A procession of honor guards on camels escorted Trump's motorcade to Qatar's Lusail Palace for a state dinner.
A line of honor guard members on camels ahead of the state dinner at Qatar's Lusail Palace.
Brian Snyder/REUTERS
Trump received an extravagant welcome ceremony upon his arrival at Abu Dhabi's presidential palace in the United Arab Emirates.
United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan greeted Trump with a welcome ceremony at the Qasr Al Watan Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi.
Photo by Waleed Zein/Anadolu via Getty Images
The world's tallest building, Dubai's Burj Khalifa, lit up with an American flag in honor of Trump's visit to the country.
The world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, in Dubai just lit up in the American 🇺🇸 flag on the occasion of US President and delegation visit last night to the UAE. pic.twitter.com/DBulZ8oNeS
Crowds of children with gold head pieces waving American and Qatari flags greeted Trump at the UAE's presidential palace. A line of women also greeted Trump with a traditional dance where they flip their hair from side to side.
Children wait to greet Trump in the UAE's presidential palace.
The UAE's president awarded Trump with the Order of Zayed, the state's highest civil decoration, to recognize his efforts to strengthen ties between the two countries.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan presents Trump with Qatar's Order of Zayed.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Trump took a tour of the opulent Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.
Trump and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, tour the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
President Donald Trump returned to Washington from the first major trip of his second term with significant agreements in place.
The deals struck in the Middle East mark historic moments for both the U.S. and its partners in the region. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar have all committed to increasing their investments in the U.S., similar to deals Trump has pushed for with U.S. partners across the globe.
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Trump signed several agreements on energy, investments, defense, mining and more that totaled $600 billion. This included a commitment by Google, Uber, Salesforce, AMD and Saudi Arabia’s DataVolt to invest $80 billion toward the development of revolutionary technologies in both countries.
American companies will also take on major projects in Saudi Arabia, including the King Salman International Airport, King Salman Park, The Vault and Qiddiya City, according to the White House. The administration predicts the projects will generate a total of $2 billion in U.S. service exports.
Additionally, several U.S. government departments will begin coordinating with Saudi government ministries, including the U.S. Department of Energy and the Ministry of Energy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as NASA and the Saudi Space Agency.
Trump was also able to secure an agreement that would allow the U.S. to carry cargo between Saudi Arabia and third-party countries without stopping in the U.S., which the White House said is "an important right for cargo hub operations."
Trump’s deals with Qatar were arguably the most controversial of his trip, after both Republicans and Democrats criticized a plan for Doha to provide a jumbo jet that is expected to be used as Air Force One.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., found themselves in a rare position — on the same side of an argument. However, they objected to the plan for different reasons. While Sanders questioned the constitutionality of the administration accepting the Qatari jet, Cruz cited "significant espionage and surveillance problems." Additionally, Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and John Kennedy, R-La., expressed their lack of trust in Doha.
"Qatar is not, in my opinion, a great ally. I mean, they support Hamas. So, what I'm worried about is the safety of the president," Scott told reporters on Tuesday.
The deals Trump secured during his trip will see Doha and Washington participate in agreements worth $1.2 trillion, according to the White House. This is in addition to economic deals totaling $243.5 billion, which include the sale of American-made aircraft to Qatar Airways.
The White House also touted a defense deal that will "lock in Qatar’s procurement of state-of-the-art military equipment from two leading U.S. defense companies." The two countries also agreed to a multibillion-dollar agreement to strengthen their security partnership.
Trump left the UAE with $200 billion in commercial deals, including a $14.5 billion commitment from Etihad Airways to invest in 28 American-manufactured aircraft. Additionally, Emirates Global Aluminum is set to invest $4 billion in an aluminum smelter project in Oklahoma, which will be one of the first new smelters built in the U.S. in 45 years, according to the White House.
The UAE and the U.S. also reached energy agreements in which the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company will partner with ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum and EOG Resources to expand oil and natural gas production. The White House said in a statement that the deal is expected to "help lower energy costs and create hundreds of skilled jobs in both countries."
The deals made during Trump’s trip to Abu Dhabi are set to expedite a commitment the UAE made in March to a 10-year, $1.4 trillion investment framework in the U.S., which covered a range of industries, including energy and AI.
President Donald Trump on Friday wrapped up a momentous week in the Middle East and is headed home having finished the final leg of his three-nation trip to the UAE.
While the trip, which first included stops in Saudi Arabia and then Qatar, was expected to be largely economically focused with massive investment deals secured with Riyadh, Doha and Abu Dhabi, the president also made geopolitical shockwaves by lifting decades-long sanctions on Syria, issuing another warning to Iran, and downplaying hard fought peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, which Moscow confirmed at the last moment would not be attended by Russian President Valdimir Putin.
Ahead of his trip to the Gulf, the president said he intended to return home with at least $1 trillion in trade and investment deals – though he far outstripped this apparent goal.
While in Saudi Arabia, Trump signed a $600 billion "strategic economic partnership" agreement with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which will see Riyadh invest in U.S. AI data centers and energy infrastructure, investment in "cutting-edge transformative technologies in both countries" and a whopping $142 billion defense package – which the White House claimed is the "largest defense sales agreement in history."
The president suggested the deal could near $1 trillion in the months to come and generate up to 2 million U.S. jobs.
Trump also secured a big deal in Qatar with a $1.2 trillion "economic exchange" with Doha that included a purchase of 210 Boeing jets by state-owned Qatar Airways for $96 billion, as well as energy infrastructure agreements and an investment in state-of-the-art quantum technologies and workforce development."
The deal in Qatar was overshadowed by the controversial announcement that Qatar wanted to "gift" Trump a new Air Force One jet.
The president also expanded on a $1.4 trillion deal brokered with the UAE in March and announced an additional $200 billion "in commercial deals" between Washington and Abu Dhabi.
Trump addressed one major geopolitical issue not only plaguing Washington’s politics but the Middle East as a whole – Iran and its pursuit of a nuclear weapon.
While nations like Saudi Arabia have long stood in opposition to Iran and its support of state-sponsored terrorism, the UAE and Qatar have increasingly looked to normalize relations with Tehran in an effort to stabilize the region.
But Trump used his visit to hone in on Washington’s determination to ensure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon.
"If Iran’s leadership rejects the olive branch and continues to attack their neighbors, then we will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure," Trump said during an address in Saudi Arabia. "The choice is theirs to make."
Trump harshly criticized Iran's leadership and Iranian representatives did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions over whether the president’s rhetoric could negatively impact the negotiations.
"If only the Iranian regime had focused on building their nation up instead of tearing the region down," Trump said. "Yet I'm here today not merely to condemn the past chaos of Iran's leaders, but to offer them a new path and a much better path toward a far better and more hopeful future.
"In the case of Iran, I have never believed in having permanent enemies," he added.
Trump took the international community by surprise, including some in his administration, according to reports, when he announced the U.S. would reverse a decades-old policy of sanctions on Syria.
The U.S. first implemented sanctions on Damascus in 1979 when it designated it a State Sponsor of Terrorism.
But following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime and the takeover by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham – which is a U.S. and U.N.-designated terrorist organization – Trump argued on Wednesday the country should be given a chance to recover.
"We are currently exploring normalizing relations with Syria's new government," Trump said.
Trump met with Syria’s leader, President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, in Saudi Arabia and confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would also meet with the Syrian foreign minister in Turkey this week.
"I am also ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria to give them a fresh start. It gives them a chance for greatness, as the sanctions were really crippling," he added.
"It's not going to be easy," Trump said in reference to rebuilding Syria and addressing the ongoing fighting that still persists in the country. "It gives them a good, strong chance. And it was my honor to do so."
Trump raised eyebrows earlier this week when he made the surprise announcement that he was considering traveling to Turkey from the UAE to participate in the Ukraine-Russia peace talks.
But Russia refused to say whether Putin would in fact be traveling to Ankara, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had intended to visit to start hashing out a solution to end Russia’s three-year-long invasion.
On Thursday, the Kremlin confirmed Putin would not participate in peace negotiations, which renewed questions over his seriousness in ending the war.
However, Trump downplayed Putin’s refusal to participate in the talks and suggested it was due to a schedule miscommunication.
"Look, nothing's going to happen until Putin and I get together. OK?" Trump said apparently annoyed over the question as to whether he was disappointed Putin would not participate in the talks. "He was going to go, but he thought I was going to go. He wasn't going if I wasn't there.
"I don't believe anything's going to happen, whether you like it or not, until he and I get together" he added, suggesting the Thursday talks in Ankara are not expected to accomplish much. "But we're going to have to get it solved because too many people are dying."
Despite Qatar being a leading player in negotiations for an end to Israel’s deadly military operations in the Gaza Strip and the return of all 58 hostages still held there, the president did not directly comment on current efforts to end the war.
Instead, he doubled down on his previous suggestion that the U.S. should own the Palestinian territory, despite Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE, repeatedly calling for a two-state solution as defined by U.N. borders.
Trump said he has seen "aerial shots where, I mean, there's practically no building standing. It's not like you're trying to save something. There's no buildings. People are living under the rubble of buildings that collapsed, which is not acceptable."
"I want to see that be a freedom zone. And if it's necessary, I think I'd be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone. Let some good things happen," he added in reference to his idea that also calls for the removal of more than 2 million Palestinians.
Palestinians and Arab nations have rejected this idea and have largely backed an Egyptian proposal for the reconstruction of Gaza Strip. EU nations and the U.N. have also backed the $53 billion proposal.
President Donald Trump said Friday that the U.S. has given Iran a proposal for a nuclear deal.
"Yeah they have a proposal, but more importantly, they know they have to move quickly or something bad, something bad is going to happen," Trump said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned this week that the United States is facing a critical moment with Iran to curb its efforts to develop a nuclear weapon and limit its uranium enrichment.
U.S. and Iranian officials have held four rounds of talks, primarily in Oman, since Trump took office to address Tehran’s nuclear program.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, often referred to as the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, noted in a March report that Iran’s stockpile of 60% enriched uranium had alarmingly grown from 182 kg to 275 kg, approximately 401 pounds to 606 pounds, in early 2025.
"Once you're at 60, you're 90% of the way there. You are, in essence, a threshold nuclear weapons state, which is what Iran basically has become," Rubio said Thursday on "Hannity".
"They are at the threshold of a nuclear weapon. If they decided to do so, they could do so very quickly. If they stockpile enough of that 60 percent enriched, they could very quickly turn it into 90 and weaponize it. That's the danger we face right now. That's the urgency here," he said.
The president also said Thursday in the United Arab Emirates that the U.S. and Iran have "sort of" agreed to terms on a nuclear deal.
"Iran has sort of agreed to the terms. They’re not going to make — I call it, in a friendly way — nuclear dust," Trump told reporters. "We’re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran."
Congressional Republicans are urging Trump to remain committed to a hardline Iran strategy, calling for the complete dismantlement of the regime’s nuclear enrichment capabilities in a letter that drew wide support.
Fox News Digital's Ashley Carnahan and Christina Shaw contributed to this report.
The State Department said nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran have been constructive, and President Donald Trump has been clear about wanting to see diplomacy.
U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott was asked during a press briefing Thursday about comments made by Trump, and he said the U.S. and Iran were close to an Iran nuclear deal.
Trump, speaking in Doha, Qatar, said he thinks the U.S. and Iran "are getting close" to making a deal without any violence. In Trump fashion, he said there are two steps — "a very nice step and a violent step" — which he added consists of violence people have never seen before.
The president also said Thursday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), that the U.S. and Iran have "sort of" agreed to terms on a nuclear deal.
"Iran has sort of agreed to the terms. They’re not going to make — I call it, in a friendly way — nuclear dust," Trump told reporters, suggesting a growing alignment with the terms he has been seeking. "We’re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran."
While Pigott would not comment on private diplomatic conversations or negotiations, he reiterated Trump’s stance on the matter.
"The president has been clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon," Pigott told reporters. "The talks have been described as constructive by the participants in them, and so, again, Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. And the president has been clear. He wants diplomacy. He wants to see a diplomatic solution here."
Pigott made his remarks as Trump tours the Middle East, making stops in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Trump, while speaking at the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh Wednesday, reiterated his desire to make a deal with Iran and called for building upon the progress of the Abraham Accords by adding more countries to the historic agreement.
Trump made the comments while addressing leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council as part of his four-day visit to the region.
"I want to make a deal with Iran. I want to do something if 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," Trump said.
Though Trump said he wants to make a deal with Iran and see Tehran prosper, he also recently accused the Iranian regime of not only hurting its own nation, but the region at large.
"Iran's leaders have focused on stealing their people's wealth to fund terror and bloodshed abroad. Most tragic of all, they have dragged down an entire region with them," Trump said.
The president pointed to the "countless lives lost" in Iran’s effort to prop up the former Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, which collapsed in December, and accused its support of Hezbollah for the downfall of Beirut, which he said was "once called the Paris of the Middle East."
It is unclear how Trump’s negative comments toward Tehran could affect ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran.
Still, The Associated Press reported Thursday that a top political, military and nuclear advisor to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told NBC News Wednesday that Tehran stands ready to get rid of its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium that can be weaponized, agree to enrich uranium only to the lower levels needed for civilian use and allow international inspectors to supervise the process.
In return, Ali Shamkhani, the advisor, said Iran wants an immediate lifting of all economic sanctions.
Fox News Digital’s Bradford Betz and Caitlin McFall and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The leader of the United Arab Emirates gifted President Donald Trump his country’s highest civilian honor on Thursday.
"In recognition of President Donald Trump’s exceptional efforts to strengthen the longstanding ties of friendship and strategic partnership between the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America, I am honored to announce that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan bestows the Order of Zayed upon President Trump," a woman was heard before Trump was presented the award.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the "Order of Zayed is considered the highest civilian honor granted by the UAE, and is bestowed upon world leaders and heads of state."
"The award bears the name of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed, whose legacy of humanitarianism, international cooperation and the pursuit of peace continues to have an impact throughout the world today," the ministry added.
Trump on Thursday arrived in the United Arab Emirates for his final stop on his Middle East trip this week in a visit that marked the first time a U.S. president has traveled to the nation in nearly 20 years, following President George W. Bush's trip in 2008.
In March, the UAE pledged a $1.4 trillion investment in the U.S. economy over the next decade through AI infrastructure, semiconductor, energy and American manufacturing initiatives, including a plan to nearly double U.S. aluminum production by investing in a new smelter for the first time in 35 years.
On the eve of the president’s visit to the Middle Eastern nation, the State Department also announced a $1.4 billion sale of CH-47 F Chinook helicopters and F-16 fighter jet parts to Abu Dhabi.
Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
FIRST ON FOX: House Democrats are opening an investigation into President Donald Trump and his administration's acceptance of a $400 million private jet from the Qatari government.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, led his fellow Democrats on the panel in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House counsel David Warrington on Thursday.
They're specifically asking Bondi to hand over a reported legal memo she wrote that is meant to assert the legality of Trump accepting the plane on behalf of the U.S.
"Any legal memo purporting to make such a claim would obviously fly in the face of the text of the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, which explicitly prohibits the President from accepting any ‘present [or] Emolument... of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State’ unless he has ‘the Consent of Congress,'" the letter reads.
"Accordingly, we are writing to request that you provide the Committee on the Judiciary with these memos immediately as their analysis and conclusions are apparently the basis for the President’s decision to disregard the plain text of the Constitution."
Raskin and the other Judiciary Committee Democrats went so far as to accuse Trump or people in his orbit of soliciting a bribe from Qatar.
"President Trump’s statements expressing displeasure with delays in the delivery of his new Boeing aircraft to serve as Air Force One and the timing of this ‘gift’ suggest that President Trump or a member of his Administration may have improperly solicited this 'nice gesture' from the Qatari government," the Democrats said, citing Trump's own comments.
"The fact that, according to President Trump, the plane would not remain in service to the United States but would rather be donated to his presidential library after his term concludes further raises the possibility that this ‘nice gesture’ is intended as a bribe to Donald Trump."
Multiple outlets reported that Bondi and Warrington drafted a legal memo that said it was "legally permissible" for Trump to accept the plane and then have it transferred to his presidential library when he leaves office.
A source familiar with the discussions told Fox News Digital the memo was drafted by the Office of Legal Counsel and signed by Bondi.
But Democrats suggested the memo was likely not sufficient grounds for Trump to bypass Congress on the issue, and pointed out Bondi herself had previously lobbied on Qatar's behalf.
"The Constitution is clear: Congress — not the Attorney General or the White House Counsel — has the exclusive authority to approve or reject a gift 'of any kind whatever' given to the President by a foreign government," the letter said.
"We would also note that, even if the Attorney General had a constitutional role to play here, Attorney General Bondi has a significant and obvious conflict of interest given her prior registration as an official agent of the Qatari government and earned no less than $115,000 per month lobbying on its behalf."
When reached for comment on the matter, a source close to Bondi said only that the letter was received by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
In addition to looking for the memo itself, the Democratic letter also asked for any communications and other records regarding the Boeing plane's transfer, and discussions of the gift's legal justifications.
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have little power to compel Trump administration officials to comply, given their status as the minority party in the chamber.
But Raskin has been scrutinizing Trump and his inner circle over family foreign ties since the former president’s first term.
The latest letter comes during Trump's diplomatic visit to the Middle East, where Qatar was one of his stops.
Trump has defended his acceptance of the plane on multiple occasions, arguing he would be a "stupid person" to not take it, while bashing Democrats for their criticism.
"So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane. Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social this week.
Senate Republicans said they knew little when asked by Fox News Digital earlier this week.
Meanwhile, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., skirted the issue during his most recent weekly press conference.
"I'm not following all the twists and turns of the charter jet. My understanding is it's not a personal gift for the president of the United States, and other nations give us gifts all the time, but, I'm going to leave it to the administration. They know much more about the details," Johnson told reporters.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Elon Musk said that Neuralink is launching a trial in the UAE.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Elon Musk said that Neuralink, his brain chip company, is launching a clinical trial in the UAE.
The announcement follows news that Starlink, his satellite internet company, is coming to Saudi Arabia.
Neuralink announced the clinical trial just one day before Trump arrived in the UAE.
Neuralink, Elon Musk's brain-computer interface company, is launching a clinical trial in the UAE — and the announcement came just one day before President Donald Trump arrived in the country.
The company said on Wednesday that it's partnering with the Cleveland Clinic for a clinical trial in Abu Dhabi, its first outside of the US. Called UAE-Prime, the clinical trial will focus on how individuals with motor and speech impairment "can use thought to control devices & communicate," according to a post on X.
Just one day prior, Musk announced that Starlink, his satellite internet company that's a part of SpaceX, had been approved for maritime and aviation use in Saudi Arabia.
Both of the companies' Middle East expansions coincided with Trump's multi-day tour to the Gulf. A number of key business and tech leaders traveled to the region as well. Trump has largely focused on deal-making throughout the trip, previously saying he wants to secure $1 trillion worth of investments.
Representatives for Neuralink and Musk did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
Both Democrats and Republicans have criticized President Donald Trump after he announced the Department of Defense plans to accept a jumbo jet from the government of Qatar, arguing the gift is riddled with both espionage concerns and constitutional questions. But as one expert tells Fox, the latter concern is likely overblown.
Trump ally Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, for example, said during an interview on Tuesday that the acquisition of the plane poses "significant espionage and surveillance problems," while Democrats such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., declared, "Trump cannot accept a $400 million flying palace from the royal family of Qatar. Not only is this farcically corrupt, it is blatantly unconstitutional."
Reports spread Sunday morning that the Trump administration was expected to accept a $400 million Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from Qatar's royal family, setting off concerns that Trump would personally take ownership of the plane and violate the emoluments clause of the Constitution. ABC News reported that Trump would use the jet until the end of his term, when it would be given to his presidential library.
Trump confirmed and clarified in a Truth Social post later on Sunday that the Department of Defense was slated to receive the gift, while slamming Democrats for their criticism of the offer.
"So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane," Trump wrote. "Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA."
At the heart of Democrats' concern over the matter is the emoluments clause in the Constitution, which states: "No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."
"Trump is literally trying to fly around on a plane from a foreign government while serving as president. That’s a violation of the Constitution. The Emoluments Clause wasn’t a suggestion. It’s the LAW," Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, said Monday morning following the announcement.
Hans von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation's Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that it's questionable if the emoluments clause even applies to the president, as the Constitution typically stipulates when a clause specifically affects a president and cites the title, such as in the impeachment clause.
"The clause was specifically inserted because of concerns by the Founders at the Constitutional Convention over corruption of our foreign diplomats, especially by the French government. It is questionable whether the emoluments clause even applies to the president since he is not named and the Constitution usually names the president when a provision applies to him. That is why the impeachment clause specifically provides that it applies to the ‘president, vice president and all civil officers of the United States.’ If ‘officers’ of the U.S. included the president, there would be no need for him to be separately listed," von Spakovsky explained.
He added that the president is the individual "who appoints the ‘officers’ who are subject to the emoluments clause."
"Antonin Scalia, when he worked at the Justice Department, certainly agreed since he issued an opinion in 1974 pointing out that when the Constitution refers to an ‘officer,’ ‘it invariably refers to someone other than the President or Vice President,’" he continued.
The jet offer comes after Trump railed against Boeing for pricey government deals to construct a new fleet of Air Force Ones. Even ahead of his first administration, Trump posted on social media in December 2016 that the Boeing "costs are out of control, more than $4 billion" to build the two aircraft.
Trump in 2018 awarded Boeing a $3.9 billion fixed-price agreement to manufacture two new jets. The construction of the jets, however, is not expected to be completed until 2029.
"We're very disappointed that it's taking Boeing so long to build a new Air Force One," Trump said during a press conference on drug prices Monday morning. "You know, we have an Air Force One that's 40 years old. And if you take a look at that, compared to the new plane of the equivalent, you know, stature at the time, it's not even the same ballgame."
"When I first came in, I signed an order to get (the new Air Force One fleet) built," he continued. "I took it over from the Obama administration, they had originally agreed. I got the price down much lower. And then, when the election didn't exactly work out the way that it should have, a lot of work was not done on the plane because a lot of people didn't know they made change orders. That was so stupid, so ridiculous. And it ended up being a total mess, a real mess."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also brushed off concern over the Qatari royal family donating a Boeing jumbo jet to the U.S. Department of Defense, arguing on Monday there will be no quid pro quo arrangement and that the donation is under legal review to ensure full compliance with the law.
Von Spakovsky said that if the plane is in fact a government-to-government gift – and not a personal gift to the president – the Trump administration is likely in the legal clear to accept the gift.
"If this gift is being considered as a gift to the government of the U.S., there is no legal issue to consider, since there is no constitutional or legal problem with such a gift. If this is a personal gift to the president, the Justice Department would be weighing the constitutional issue I have raised – whether the emoluments clause even applies to the president," he said.
Von Spakovsky said such a government-to-government gift "is no different than the thousands of cherry trees gifted to the U.S. by the Japanese government" in 1912 that still draw more than a million tourists to Washington, D.C., each spring.
Allies of the president, such as Cruz, said espionage concerns weigh heavily over the planned deal, citing Qatar's ties to terrorist groups.
"I’m not a fan of Qatar. I think they have a really disturbing pattern of funding theocratic lunatics who want to murder us, funding Hamas and Hezbollah. And that’s a real problem," Cruz said during an interview Tuesday on CNBC.
"I also think the plane poses significant espionage and surveillance problems," he added. "We’ll see how this issue plays out, but I certainly have concerns."
Democrats, such as Sens. Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Dick Durbin of Illinois also warned that the plane would come with security issues. Reed, for example, claimed in a statement that using the plane as Air Force One "would pose immense counterintelligence risks by granting a foreign nation potential access to sensitive systems and communications."
While Democrats and some Republicans have criticized Trump over the move, other Republican lawmakers have said they are zoned in on legislative matters and are not looped into the plane issue.
"I actually haven't paid attention to it," Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., previously told Fox News Digital. "I'm sorry to be so out of the loop on that. I've just been thinking about Medicaid and about what the House is sending over."
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, another Trump ally, said she didn't know enough about the deal to comment on it when pressed by Fox News Digital. Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Eric Schmitt of Missouri also said they did not know details of the plane.
Trump is currently in the midst of a four-day trip to the Middle East, including visiting Qatar on Wednesday, where his motorcade was met by dozens of camels, as well as Tesla Cybertrucks in an apparent nod to Department of Government Efficiency official and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
The plane is not expected to be presented to the president nor accepted by Trump during his trip abroad.
"The Boeing 747 is being given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME!" Trump posted to his Truth Social account while in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. "It is a gift from a Nation, Qatar, that we have successfully defended for many years. It will be used by our Government as a temporary Air Force One, until such time as our new Boeings, which are very late on delivery, arrive."
President Donald Trump attended a breakfast with business leaders at the St. Regis Doha hotel in Qatar on Thursday morning where he remained firm that Tehran must choose between never having a nuclear weapon or dealing with "violence like people haven't seen before."
Just days before, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had made comments that calls to dismantle Tehran's nuclear facilities were "unacceptable," and that "Iran will not give up its peaceful nuclear rights under any circumstances and will not back down from its rights in the face of pressure."
Trump suggested Iran may now be informally moving toward compliance with international demands to halt its nuclear weapons ambitions, but emphasized that a final agreement has not yet been reached.
"I want them to succeed. I want them to end up being a great country, frankly, but they can't have a nuclear weapon. That's the only thing. It's very simple," Trump said. "It's not like I have to give you 30 pages' worth of details. There's only one sentence. They can't have a nuclear weapon. And I think we're getting close to maybe doing a deal without having to do this."
He went on to state simply that there were limited options when it came to the deal and that he personally would rather go the more amicable route.
"There's two steps. There's a very, very nice step, and there's a violent step. There’s violence like people haven't seen before, and I hope we're not going to have to do this. I don't want to do the second step. Some people do. Many people do. I don't want to do that step," he said.
Congressional Republicans are urging Trump to remain committed to a hardline Iran strategy, calling for the complete dismantlement of the regime’s nuclear enrichment capabilities in a letter that drew wide support.
Trump said at the breakfast that he is working toward a long-term solution that will bring peace to a country that he says "is a very special place with a special royal family."
"So we'll see what happens, but we're in very serious negotiations with Iran for long-term peace. And if we do that, it'll be fantastic. And for this country in particular, because you're right next door. You're a stone's throw away, not even right here, a foot away. You can walk right into Iran. Other countries are much further away, so probably it's not quite the same level of danger, but we are going to protect this country. It is a very special place with a special royal family," Trump said.
"And the head of the royal family is two heads of the royal family, really, if you think. Great people. And they're going to be protected by the United States of America. And I think we're not going to have to do it because I believe very strongly in peace."
Providence, Rhode Island, officials have accepted a request to fly the Palestinian flag Friday at City Hall in the state's capital.
City officials emphasized that no American flags are being displaced by the display, adding there have been several other flags raised over the government office in the past.
"Providence City Hall displays many different flags throughout the year to mark different occasions and honor the many ethnic and cultural backgrounds and traditions that make our city strong," a spokesperson for Providence City Council told Fox News Digital Wednesday.
The spokesperson added the city has also flown the Dominican flag, Irish flag, Armenian flag and the Israeli flag in recent months.
"Like those examples, this idea came to us from the community as part of a request to honor the important role Palestinian-Americans play in the fabric of our beautifully diverse city," the spokesperson said.
Council President Rachel Miller will display the flag during Thursday’s city council meeting and then outside City Hall Friday.
When asked about the decision, a representative for Democratic Mayor Brett Smiley suggested the ceremony was the city council’s prerogative.
"In Providence, the executive branch and City Council are two separate branches of government. The Providence City Council, not Mayor Smiley’s office, will be raising the Palestinian flag on Friday," said Josh Estrella, a spokesman for Smiley.
A report from GoLocalProvidence added the Palestinian flag is reportedly becoming more prevalent at City Hall overall.
Typically, the indoor chamber only flies the state and national flags, the report said.
Fox News Digital reached out for comment from Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed, D-R.I.
President Donald Trump and his motorcade were greeted by dozens of mounted camels after his plane landed in Qatar Wednesday morning as he continues his four-day trip to the Middle East.
"We appreciate those camels," Trump said Wednesday while meeting with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. "I haven't seen camels like that in a long time. And really, we appreciate it very much."
The motorcade traveling from the Doha airport to the Amiri Diwan, which serves as the central hub of the Qatari government, also included red Tesa Cybertrucks in an apparent nod to Tesla CEO and Trump ally Elon Musk, as well as men on horseback.
Trump signed a series of agreements with al-Thani Wednesday as part of the trip, including a purchasing agreement by Qatar for Boeing aircraft, as well as letters of intent and "joint cooperation" between Qatar and the U.S.
Trump arrived to Doha Wednesday morning, and met with local leaders as well joined a Qatari State Dinner.
Wednesday's deals follow Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia Tuesday, when he signed a "strategic economic partnership" with Saudi Arabia for energy, defense, mining and space-based agreements that amount to $600 billion. Trump said the deal could lead to the creation of two million jobs in the U.S.
Saudi Arabia also welcomed Trump with grand gestures, including sending fighter jet escorts to welcome Air Force One to the ground and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greeting Trump on the tarmac.
The Saudis also rolled out a mobile version of Trump's beloved fast-food joint, McDonald's, in Riyadh during his trip.
While Democrats have largely ridiculed President Donald Trump's decision to accept a $400 million jet from the Qatari royal family on behalf of the U.S. government, Republicans have raised national security concerns and admitted they have not been briefed on the details of the deal.
Fox News Digital asked Senate Republicans for their reaction to Trump deciding to accept the luxury Boeing jet from Qatar. While Trump continues his diplomatic trip through the Middle East, House Republicans are busy finalizing his "big, beautiful bill" at committee markups on Capitol Hill.
"I actually haven't paid attention to it," Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said. "I'm sorry to be so out of the loop on that. I've just been thinking about Medicaid and about what the House is sending over."
And Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, another Trump ally, said she didn't know enough about the deal to comment on it when pressed by Fox News Digital.
Republican senators Susan Collins of Maine, Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Eric Schmitt of Missouri also admitted they don't know the details of the deal.
However, Collins, a Republican with a willingness to buck the party on certain issues, seemed to align more with Democrats' reaction to the gift, saying she suspected there could be issues within the GIFT Act, which prohibits federal employees from accepting gifts from foreign governments.
Democrats have pointed to the emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution as proof the Qatari gift is "unconstitutional." The emoluments clause states that no elected official should accept a gift from a foreign country without consent from Congress.
"My concern is his safety," Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla, told Fox News Digital. "Qatar supports Hamas. The Hamas leaders live in Qatar, so my concern is the safety of the president. How are we going to know that the plane is safe?"
The U.S. Department of Defense is expected to retrofit the Boeing 747-8 luxury jet to be used as Air Force One. Some Republicans still have national security concerns.
"Qatar has a relationship with China, a relationship with Hamas. That would scare me," Scott admitted.
But Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo, said a "free plane" sounds like a "good deal for the government."
The Trump administration has continued to defend Qatar's gift to the United States. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed it was not "Trump's plane" and that it was donated to the U.S. Air Force.
On Wednesday morning, Trump signed a series of agreements with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha, Qatar, which included a Qatari purchasing agreement for 160 American Boeing planes, defense agreements and a declaration of cooperation between the countries.
Trump defended his decision to accept the Qatari jet Tuesday, saying it would be "stupid" not to and emphasizing that he accepted it on behalf of the U.S. government, not himself.
"The Boeing 747 is being given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME! It is a gift from a Nation, Qatar, that we have successfully defended for many years. It will be used by our Government as a temporary Air Force One, until such time as our new Boeings, which are very late on delivery, arrive. Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for FREE from a country that wants to reward us for a job well done," Trump said on Truth Social Tuesday.
"This big savings will be spent, instead, to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Only a FOOL would not accept this gift on behalf of our Country. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump added.
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment about plans to discuss the deal with Congress.
President Donald Trump is back in the Middle East, meeting with leaders from multiple countries — including Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, who reaffirmed his support for a massive investment pledge to the US.
President Donald Trump signed a series of agreements with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday.
The agreements involved a purchasing agreement by Qatar for Boeing aircraft, as well as letters of intent and "joint cooperation" between Qatar and the U.S. The emir also signed an intent agreement to purchase MQ-9 drone aircraft.
Al Thani said he had a "great" conversation with Trump prior to the signing ceremony on Wednesday, adding that the agreements have elevated the U.S.-Qatar relationship to "another level."
This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has "lost his confidence" and suggested that "there’s something wrong" with the New York Democrat.
Trump made the remarks while traveling to Qatar for the second leg of his Middle East trip when reporters aboard Air Force One asked about Schumer’s threats to block the president’s Justice Department political appointees until the senator gets answers about a jumbo jet gift from Qatar's royal family.
"Schumer is Schumer," Trump said. "You know, he's become a Palestinian. Something wrong with him? I don't know, I've known him a long time and there's something wrong. He's lost his confidence, totally. And there's something wrong with him. I don't know what it is with Schumer."
Schumer called the Qatari gift a "grave national security threat" on the Senate floor on Tuesday.
"News of the Qatari government gifting Donald Trump a $400 million private jet to use as Air Force One is so corrupt that even Putin would give a double take. This is not just naked corruption, it is also a grave national security threat," the top Democrat said.
"So, in light of the deeply troubling news of a possible Qatari-funded Air Force One, and the reports that the Attorney General personally signed off on this clearly unethical deal, I am announcing a hold on all DOJ political nominees, until we get more answers," he added.
Trump has defended the U.S. preparing to accept a jumbo jet gift from Qatar's royal family to serve as a temporary Air Force One as Boeing failed to roll out a new Air Force One fleet in a timely manner.
"We're very disappointed that it's taking Boeing so long to build a new Air Force One," Trump said Monday morning. "You know, we have an Air Force One that's 40 years old. And if you take a look at that, compared to the new plane of the equivalent, you know, stature at the time, it's not even the same ballgame."
Fox News Digital's Greg Norman contributed to this report.
