Beyond congratulations, Trump faces changed, eastward-looking Gulf
Gulf states are familiar with Donald Trump and his transactional nature but have also managed to forge their own regional alliances over the last four years.
DUBAI — Gulf states see Donald Trump's second term in office as business as usual, but the US' 47th president may have to reckon with new realities in and allegiances among GCC states.
Trump previously held the Oval Office from 2017 to 2021 and had a good working relationship with the Gulf states. Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, are aligned with the United States economically through their currencies, which are pegged to the US dollar, as well as through long-term strategic and security relationships.
Trump's return to the White House was welcomed warmly by Gulf leaders, including Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, who spoke over the phone with the incoming president on Wednesday.
The crown prince said he hoped "to strengthen the historical and strategic relations between the two countries," a statement from the official Saudi Press Agency said.
