Eli Stokols

I mean, that is not typically what has driven foreign policy by presidents prior. That's been sort of an additional thing, not the main thing. Trump gave a speech in Riyadh on Tuesday to the investor conference there that was basically saying, This region is great because of all the stuff you build and all the money that's here.

I mean, that is not typically what has driven foreign policy by presidents prior. That's been sort of an additional thing, not the main thing. Trump gave a speech in Riyadh on Tuesday to the investor conference there that was basically saying, This region is great because of all the stuff you build and all the money that's here.

And we just want to do deals and we're not going to come here and lecture you about values. And so for someone who's pretty value agnostic like Trump, this is a perfect place to come and conduct this very transactional foreign policy. The biggest thing that came out of the Saudi visit was a commitment of $600 billion in investments by the Saudis. We saw $142 billion

And we just want to do deals and we're not going to come here and lecture you about values. And so for someone who's pretty value agnostic like Trump, this is a perfect place to come and conduct this very transactional foreign policy. The biggest thing that came out of the Saudi visit was a commitment of $600 billion in investments by the Saudis. We saw $142 billion

And we just want to do deals and we're not going to come here and lecture you about values. And so for someone who's pretty value agnostic like Trump, this is a perfect place to come and conduct this very transactional foreign policy. The biggest thing that came out of the Saudi visit was a commitment of $600 billion in investments by the Saudis. We saw $142 billion

defense package that was committed to.

defense package that was committed to.

defense package that was committed to.

when he takes criticism about what his tariffs have done to the global economy, when he takes criticism about his economic stewardship broadly, what they always come back to is, look at all the money pouring into our country. That really is how he thinks about that. He thinks about the world in a very mercantilist way.

when he takes criticism about what his tariffs have done to the global economy, when he takes criticism about his economic stewardship broadly, what they always come back to is, look at all the money pouring into our country. That really is how he thinks about that. He thinks about the world in a very mercantilist way.

when he takes criticism about what his tariffs have done to the global economy, when he takes criticism about his economic stewardship broadly, what they always come back to is, look at all the money pouring into our country. That really is how he thinks about that. He thinks about the world in a very mercantilist way.

And so the Saudis, the Qataris, the Emiratis, they are willing to play that game, to do these deals, to give Trump, metaphorically speaking, the big cardboard check with a lot of zeros on it. He likes that. The link is not ideology and democratic values. It's just kind of a pragmatism, a transactionalism, a mercantilism. Let's bring stability. Let's make everybody rich.

And so the Saudis, the Qataris, the Emiratis, they are willing to play that game, to do these deals, to give Trump, metaphorically speaking, the big cardboard check with a lot of zeros on it. He likes that. The link is not ideology and democratic values. It's just kind of a pragmatism, a transactionalism, a mercantilism. Let's bring stability. Let's make everybody rich.

And so the Saudis, the Qataris, the Emiratis, they are willing to play that game, to do these deals, to give Trump, metaphorically speaking, the big cardboard check with a lot of zeros on it. He likes that. The link is not ideology and democratic values. It's just kind of a pragmatism, a transactionalism, a mercantilism. Let's bring stability. Let's make everybody rich.

You know, he's found some partners in the region in pursuing that kind of a foreign policy.

You know, he's found some partners in the region in pursuing that kind of a foreign policy.

You know, he's found some partners in the region in pursuing that kind of a foreign policy.

Right. It's like, any questions? Any questions? Like, you summed it up. That's right. I mean, these different things, I mean, look, the LIV Golf, we haven't even talked about LIV Golf, but that's the Saudi-backed golf league that's a real competitor to the PGA Tour. And it's run by the head of Saudi Arabia's Sovereign Wealth Fund. You know, and what did they do? He hosted a tournament.

Right. It's like, any questions? Any questions? Like, you summed it up. That's right. I mean, these different things, I mean, look, the LIV Golf, we haven't even talked about LIV Golf, but that's the Saudi-backed golf league that's a real competitor to the PGA Tour. And it's run by the head of Saudi Arabia's Sovereign Wealth Fund. You know, and what did they do? He hosted a tournament.

Right. It's like, any questions? Any questions? Like, you summed it up. That's right. I mean, these different things, I mean, look, the LIV Golf, we haven't even talked about LIV Golf, but that's the Saudi-backed golf league that's a real competitor to the PGA Tour. And it's run by the head of Saudi Arabia's Sovereign Wealth Fund. You know, and what did they do? He hosted a tournament.