President Donald Trump started his four-day trip to the Middle East on Tuesday by meeting with Saudi Arabia's leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. They talked about the United States' plans to stop Iran's nuclear program, end the conflict in Gaza, keep oil prices stable, and discuss other important issues.

Prince Mohammed extended a cordial welcome to Trump upon his disembarkation from Air Force One, marking the commencement of his Middle East tour.

Following this, the two leaders withdrew to an imposing hall at Riyadh airport, where Trump and his retinue were offered traditional Arabic coffee by attendants in ceremonial attire.

The ceremonial display commenced prior to Trump's arrival, with Royal Saudi Air Force F-15s offering a symbolic escort for Air Force One as it neared the kingdom’s capital.

A luncheon at the Royal Court was planned for Trump and Prince Mohammed, with invitations extended to several prominent business executives, such as Stephen Schwarzman, CEO of Blackstone Group, Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, and Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX.

Musk also heads the Department of Government Efficiency, a contentious initiative for the second term aimed at identifying and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse within the U.S. government.

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Trump's visit to the Middle East coincides with a surge in regional crises.

Saudi oil company Aramco disclosed first-quarter earnings of $26 billion, a decrease of 4.6% compared to the previous year.

Following this, the crown prince is scheduled to host a formal dinner in honor of Trump. Trump is additionally set to participate in a U.S.-Saudi investment conference on Tuesday.

"When Saudis and Americans collaborate, highly positive outcomes frequently materialise," stated Saudi Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih.

Saudi Arabia and other OPEC+ countries have bolstered their standing with Trump early in his second term by increasing oil production. Trump considers affordable energy essential for reducing expenses and curbing inflation in the United States. The president has additionally argued that decreased oil prices will accelerate the conclusion of Russia's conflict in Ukraine.

However, Saudi Arabia's economy is still profoundly reliant on oil, necessitating a fiscal break-even oil price of $96 to $98 per barrel to achieve budgetary equilibrium. It is debatable how long OPEC+, where Saudi Arabia plays a pivotal role, will be inclined to maintain heightened production levels. The price of a barrel of Brent crude concluded Monday's trading session at $64.77.

Jon Alterman, a senior Middle East analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, noted that lower oil prices, while not necessarily jeopardizing the Gulf states' economic diversification initiatives, undoubtedly render them more challenging.

Trump selected the kingdom for his initial visit due to its commitment to substantial investment in the U.S., though he ultimately travelled to Italy last month for Pope Francis' funeral; Riyadh served as the inaugural international destination of his presidency.

The president's itinerary includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, all locations where major real estate developments are underway by the Trump Organization, overseen by his two elder sons. These ventures encompass a high-rise in Jeddah, a luxury hotel in Dubai, and a golf course and villa complex in Qatar.

Trump is trying to show that his strategy of making deals in international politics is working. This is happening while Democrats are criticizing him, saying his global tariffs and how he deals with Russia's war in Ukraine are making the United States isolated from its friends.

He is expected to announce agreements with three rich countries. These agreements will cover artificial intelligence, increasing energy cooperation, and possibly new arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Earlier this month, the government gave initial approval to sell $3.5 billion worth of air-to-air missiles for Saudi Arabia's fighter planes.

However, Trump’s arrival in the Middle East coincided with a period when his principal regional allies, Israel and Saudi Arabia, exhibit considerable divergence from his proposed methods.

Before the journey, Trump declared that the U.S. was suspending an aerial campaign spanning almost two months against Yemen’s Houthis, stating that the Iran-supported rebels had promised to cease their attacks on vessels navigating a crucial international trade route.

The administration did not tell Israel about the agreement before Trump announced it publicly. The Houthis still attack Israel. This was another time Trump did not inform the Israelis about his administration's talks with groups they both oppose.

In March, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn't know about the talks with Hamas about the war in Gaza until after they had started. He also only learned about the ongoing U.S. nuclear talks with Iran when President Trump announced them during his visit to the Oval Office last month.

"Israel retains the capacity to defend itself independently," Netanyahu stated last week, responding to Trump's announcement of a truce with the Houthis. "While we possess this capability, collaborative efforts, particularly with our American allies, would undoubtedly be advantageous."

According to William Wechsler, a senior director at the Atlantic Council, President Trump's choice to omit Israel from his initial visit to the Middle East is noteworthy.

Wechsler stated that, based on the current itinerary, the primary conclusion one can draw is that the Gulf governments demonstrate a more robust friendship with President Trump than the present Israeli administration.

Meanwhile, Trump aims to revive his initial endeavour to foster normalized relations between the dominant Middle Eastern powers, Israel and Saudi Arabia. Trump's Abraham Accords initiative previously facilitated normalization agreements with Israel from Sudan, the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco.

Riyadh has clearly said that for things to go back to normal, they want the U.S. to promise their safety, help with their nuclear plans, and real steps towards a Palestinian state. However, it seems unlikely this will happen with the war between Israel and Hamas going on and Israel saying they will destroy and take over Gaza.

Last week in Jeddah, Prince Mohammed held a significant meeting with Palestinian Vice President Hussein Sheikh, marking the sheikh's inaugural foreign trip since taking office in April.

Hussain Abdul-Hussain, a researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the crown prince seemed to be hinting to Trump that Saudi Arabia needs to see clear steps towards a Palestinian state before they can seriously start a peace deal with Israel.

"Given Saudi Arabia's history of signalling its intentions, this serves as a clear, preemptive message: 'Do not even consider requesting any concessions towards normalization,'” stated Abdul-Hussain.