President Trump in Qatar in furtherance of his Mid-East tour, signs major deal

President Donald Trump arrived in Qatar on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, the second stop of his Middle East tour, where he was welcomed with grand ceremony and diplomatic fanfare.

The highlight of his visit was the announcement of a major aviation deal between Qatar Airways and U.S. aerospace giant Boeing.

On Wednesday, Qatar and the United States formalized an agreement for the purchase of 160 aircraft from Boeing.

Reports say the deal, according to President Trump is valued at over $200 billion.

Trump and Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, jointly signed the agreement during a formal ceremony.

The announcement marks a significant commercial achievement for Boeing at a time when the company is under intense pressure.

“It’s over $200 billion, but 160 jets—fantastic,” Trump declared during the signing event.

Addressing Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who was present at the ceremony, he added, “That’s a record, Kelly.

“Congratulations to Boeing.”

Boeing’s recent challenges made this deal especially critical.

The company has been grappling with a series of setbacks.

These reportedly include a high-profile safety incident in early 2024 when a door plug dislodged mid-flight from an Alaska Airlines 737 Max, leaving a hole in the aircraft.

The aftermath of the incident significantly dampened orders throughout the year.

Despite a modest recovery in late 2024, Boeing secured only 569 gross orders for the year, representing a steep 60% decline compared to 2023.

Compounding the problem, a large-scale strike involving 33,000 machinists brought Boeing’s operations to a standstill in September.

Production did not resume until December, leading to a 34% drop in aircraft deliveries, which totaled just 348 for the year.

The Trump administration’s recent tariff measures—marketed under the “Liberation Day” initiative—added further strain.

As America’s largest exporter, Boeing faced rising costs and competitive disadvantages due to retaliatory tariffs from other nations.

These measures threatened to inflate prices for aircraft and for the foreign-sourced components essential to Boeing’s production.

In response, the administration has seemingly integrated Boeing into its broader trade strategy.

Just last week, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick revealed in the Oval Office that a major British airline had committed to purchasing $10 billion in Boeing jets as part of a larger trade framework.

Reuters later identified the buyer as International Airlines Group (IAG), which reportedly plans to order approximately 30 Boeing 787 widebody aircraft.

Following the announcement in Qatar, Boeing’s stock rose by 1.7%, a modest but positive market response.

Nonetheless, investors remain cautious, knowing that such order commitments are not always guaranteed.

Historically, airlines have occasionally backed out of publicly announced deals.

Beyond the aviation sector, Trump’s visit also brought forth several key defense agreements.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a series of defense-related documents with Qatari officials, including a statement of intent to deepen defense cooperation.

Additional signings included offer and acceptance letters for MQ-9B drones and Fixed Site-Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft System Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS) platforms.

President Trump also signed a joint declaration reaffirming the strategic partnership between the United States and Qatar.

Earlier in the tour, Trump held a meeting in Riyadh with Syrian political figure Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former jihadist leader credited with helping overthrow the Assad regime.

The meeting followed Trump’s announcement of plans to lift sanctions on Syria, signaling a possible policy shift.

While in Saudi Arabia, the United States secured a number of economic and defense deals.

Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman emphasized the growing strength of U.S.-Saudi relations, underscored by mutual commitments across multiple sectors.

Looking ahead, Trump expressed a strong interest in facilitating peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

He revealed that President Vladimir Putin had indicated a desire for Trump to attend a prospective summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey.

It is expected that the meeting could have significant global implications if realized.

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