President Donald Trump is gearing up for a high-profile tour across three key Arab nations—Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates—starting Monday.
But while the trip has clear diplomatic goals, it’s hard to ignore what’s happening in the background: a growing business footprint from the Trump Organization across these very countries.
From political negotiations to high-end real estate developments, the lines between statecraft and personal enterprise are once again under the microscope.
Diplomatic Goals or Business Opportunities?
Officially, the purpose of the trip is strategic. Saudi Arabia recently hosted U.S.-Russia talks, while Qatar has played a major role in negotiating ceasefires between Israel and Hamas.
The UAE, meanwhile, was part of the Abraham Accords during Trump’s first term and remains a close U.S. ally.
But that’s just one side of the story. Behind the scenes, the Trump Organization is actively expanding its brand in all three countries, prompting watchdog groups to sound the alarm.
Trump Properties Are Popping Up All Over the Region
The Trump brand already has a presence in Dubai with a luxury golf club—and that’s just the beginning.
In recent weeks, Trump Organization has unveiled a series of new developments in the region.
Eric Trump, serving as executive vice president of the company, traveled to the Middle East in late April to close deals and inspect new project sites.
In Dubai, a glittering “Trump International Hotel & Tower” is now on the books, with promises to be the only one of its kind in the Middle East.
Though the president won’t visit Dubai itself during the trip, he’ll meet with UAE leaders in the capital city of Abu Dhabi.
A Golf Resort in Qatar and More Projects in Saudi Arabia
The second stop on Trump’s trip will be Qatar, where the Trump Organization just announced a new luxury golf resort north of the capital, Doha.
It will include Trump-branded beachfront villas and an 18-hole course.
Eric Trump was even photographed inspecting a model of the planned resort.
And the biggest splash might be in Saudi Arabia, where just weeks after Trump’s 2024 reelection, the company revealed two massive new projects in Riyadh—a Trump Tower and a Trump golf community.
That city will be the first stop on the president’s tour.
In Jeddah, the company is also building another Trump Tower overlooking the Persian Gulf—though Trump has floated the idea of renaming it the “Gulf of Arabia.”
Critics Say It’s a Clear Conflict of Interest
Government watchdog groups, like Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), are calling out the trip as a potential ethical disaster.
“Donald Trump’s trip to three countries where his company has multiple business interests presents serious corruption risks,” said Meghan Faulkner, CREW’s communications director.
She added that Trump’s meetings with foreign officials could influence decisions that benefit his private businesses.
A report released Friday by CREW specifically flagged the Qatar golf project, noting that one of the companies involved is owned by the Qatari government—making the stakes even higher.
Democratic Operatives Cry Hypocrisy Over Hunter Biden Comparisons
One unnamed Democratic operative didn’t hold back.
“Anyone who’s upset about Hunter Biden should be up in arms over this,” they said, calling the Trump developments “far more egregious” in terms of corruption potential.
“If you were calling out Hunter and ignoring this, that’s the height of hypocrisy,” they added.
The White House Pushes Back on Corruption Claims
Not surprisingly, the Trump White House has dismissed these concerns.
When asked about whether the president’s sons or son-in-law Jared Kushner would be joining the trip, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said she wasn’t aware of any family members tagging along—though they’d be “welcome.”
She was also asked whether Trump would be visiting any of the business sites or meeting with partners involved in Trump Organization projects.
“Not to my knowledge,” she replied, before criticizing the very premise of the question.
“He’s Not in This for Profit,” Says Trump’s Team
Leavitt firmly defended the president, arguing that he gave up a “life of luxury” to serve the country—not once, but twice.
She insisted that the American people brought Trump back to the White House because they trust him to put national interests first.
She also claimed that Trump has actually “lost money” by being president, unlike President Joe Biden, whom she described as “a career politician profiting off public office.”
“This White House holds itself to the highest ethical standards,” Leavitt said, pushing back against the ongoing narrative that Trump is using the presidency to boost his business empire.