Trump returns to Washington with investment agreements but no major peace deals

President Donald Trump is returning to Washington on Friday after a diplomatic tour of the Middle East, where he pitched American business and secured investment pledges but failed to reach long-promised peace deals in Gaza and Ukraine.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — President Donald Trump is returning to Washington on Friday after a diplomatic tour of the Middle East, where he pitched American business and secured investment pledges but failed to reach long-promised peace deals in Gaza and Ukraine.

Marked by high-level talks and lavish displays of regional hospitality, the trip showcased Trump’s self-styled role as a dealmaker and peacemaker. Still, his loftiest targets — resolving the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine — remain elusive. 

In Abu Dhabi, Trump capped his weeklong tour with a visit to Qasr Al Watan, the emirate’s presidential palace, where he toured exhibits showcasing investments in energy, health care and aviation. Accompanied by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the president met with business leaders and took shots at his predecessor.

“I’m just thinking, we have a president of the United States doing the selling,” Trump said, taking a swipe at former President Joe Biden. “You think Biden would be doing this? I don’t think so.” A large screen at the event repurposed his campaign slogan to proclaim “Making Energy Great Again,” a nod to the economic focus of the trip.

Trump is accompanied by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as he prepares to board Air Force One on Friday.Brendan Smialowski / AFP - Getty ImagesThroughout the week, Trump announced major investments by Middle Eastern nations in American businesses, including a $600 billion investment deal from Saudi Arabia and an agreement with Qatar Airways to buy hundreds of planes from Boeing and GE Aerospace.