By Molly Claire Goddard
11:24am PDT, May 14, 2025
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How tight are the Trump family's financial ties to the Middle East?
According to a new
report,
Donald Trump and his relatives have allegedly increased their business dealings in the region since he retook office in January as the commander-in-chief travels to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to represent America.
Keep reading to learn about how the Trump brand is reportedly expanding in that part of the world…
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Donald Trump's close financial ties to the Middle East have many politicians on both sides of the aisle concerned over ethics.
"When the American people elect a president, they expect that person to work for them, not for profit," co-president of Public Citizen
Robert Weissman explained in a statement to CNN.
However, the right-wing leader has been open about his business ventures during his time in the Oval Office: "I've always had an instinct for making money," he said in a February speech hosted by
Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.
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When Donald Trump retook office in January, he and the Trump organization vowed not to do any new deals with foreign governments while he served the nation as president. However, according to the report, the famous family's golf course in Qatar is allegedly a deal with Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, Qatari Diar.
"Through this collaboration, we look forward to further strengthening Qatar's position as a preferred destination," the Qatari government minister said in a statement.
The Trumps responded by denying their ties to Qatar: "The Trump Organization does not conduct business with any government entity," spokesperson Kimberly Benza said in a statement.
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Despite denying any strong business bonds to the Middle East, Donald Trump praised Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and applauded his leadership during a May visit.
"He's your greatest representative, greatest representative. And if I didn't like him, I'd get out of here so fast. You know that, don't you? He knows me well. I do — I like him a lot. I like him too much," the right-wing leader said in a speech at the Ritz-Carlton Riyadh.
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Donald Trump is also ruffling some feathers by announcing he'll be meeting with Syrian president and alleged former Al Qaeda member Ahmad al-Sharaa and plans to lift sanctions against Syria.
"The president agreed to say hello to the Syrian president while in Saudi Arabia tomorrow," the White House confirmed.
