President Trump is still on his historic Middle East tour, and the Arab nations are rolling out the red carpet for him. The primary thing President Trump is doing, of course, is talking business, and that seems to be a welcome change of pace for the Middle East. The president has received some unprecedented honors, first in Dubai, where the world's tallest building got a big dose of America's colors.
Spectacular tribute to Pres Trump and America 🇺🇸 https://t.co/JZtU1vFC87
— HARRISFAULKNER (@HARRISFAULKNER) May 15, 2025
But in what may be a much greater honor, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi was actually closed so that President Trump could have a tour. This mosque has never been closed since its construction was complete.
President Trump at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) May 15, 2025
They shut down the Mosque for his special visit — the first time it has ever been closed for anyone in history. Historic moment! pic.twitter.com/BS09jHDPCh
And finally, the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, has bestowed on the president the Order of Zayed, the highest civilian award the Emirate has. President Trump is the first American - not the first American president, not the first American elected official, but the first American, ever, to receive this accolade.
"In recognition of President Donald Trump’s exceptional efforts to strengthen the longstanding ties of friendship and strategic partnership between the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America, I am honored to announce that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan bestows the Order of Zayed upon President Trump," a woman was heard before Trump was presented the award.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the "Order of Zayed is considered the highest civilian honor granted by the UAE, and is bestowed upon world leaders and heads of state."
The Arab nations President Trump has visited on this tour have, among them, committed to investing trillions in the American economy, although as of this writing, the details of many of these investments are not yet clear. The UAE, though, has made some specific investments known:
In March, the UAE pledged a $1.4 trillion investment in the U.S. economy over the next decade through AI infrastructure, semiconductor, energy and American manufacturing initiatives, including a plan to nearly double U.S. aluminum production by investing in a new smelter for the first time in 35 years.
People tend to want to get along with people they do business with; people who help them make money.
See Also: Essex Files: Saudi Arabia’s Bold Leap to Modernity
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That may be the difference between President Trump and his predecessors. President Trump is first and foremost a businessman, and he sees things through that lens. He went to the Middle East to do business, to talk business, to make deals, and the leaders of the Arab nations he has visited, including most notably Saudi Arabia, seem to be reacting very positively to his approach.
Granted, this is a part of the world that's difficult for us to understand. But the biggest deal, to my thinking, is shutting down the mosque, especially doing it so that a Western leader, who they see as an infidel, could walk through. That's kind of a big thing.
Now, we wait to see what fruit springs from these seeds.
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