{"id":8855,"date":"2025-06-13T06:17:35","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T21:17:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/?p=8855"},"modified":"2025-06-13T22:45:52","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T13:45:52","slug":"loyalty-or-leverage-gulf-states-revisit-their-bet-as-trump-turns-on-musk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/news\/loyalty-or-leverage-gulf-states-revisit-their-bet-as-trump-turns-on-musk\/","title":{"rendered":"Loyalty or Leverage? Gulf States Revisit Their Bet as Trump Turns on Musk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An analysis drawn from America First, The World Divided: Trump 2.0 Influence<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Ahmed Fathi<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

New York, NY<\/em><\/strong>: When Elon Musk joined President Donald Trump on a high-profile tour of the Gulf just weeks ago, the message was unmistakable: the United States was reasserting its dominance in the tech and innovation race\u2014and the Gulf states were not just audience members, but co-investors.<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"Ahmed
Ahmed Fathi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In Riyadh, Doha, and Abu Dhabi, Musk was treated like visiting royalty. Tesla\u2019s Optimus robots were unveiled. Starlink\u2019s future in the region was teased. Conversations about AI, infrastructure, and Mars colonization flowed freely in gold-draped conference rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But now, after Trump\u2019s public and punishing break with Musk\u2014complete with threats to cut off federal contracts and revoking what he called \u201cbillions and billions\u201d in support\u2014the Gulf finds itself in an unenviable position: stuck between a tech visionary and a political kingmaker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gulf\u2019s Strategic Dilemma<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I detailed in America First, The World Divided<\/u><\/strong><\/a> \u201cIn the post-globalization era, Gulf states learned to speak the language of both capital and loyalty. Their leverage came not from choosing sides, but from knowing when not to.\u201d (Chapter 10<\/u><\/a>: America First Goes Global, p. 209)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this time, neutrality may not be an option. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar are all deeply invested in the future economy: AI cities, space programs, autonomous transportation, digital infrastructure. Musk is a central figure in those ambitions. But Donald Trump\u2014back in office and as transactional as ever\u2014represents access to U.S. weapons, diplomatic cover, and political patronage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And as I warned in Chapter 7<\/u><\/a>: Loyalty as Leverage: \u201cUnder Trump 2.0, foreign partnerships are tested not by treaties but by fealty. Personal alignment with the president is the true cost of admission.\u201d (p. 157)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gulf States’ Engagements with Musk<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saudi Arabia<\/strong>: Recent developments indicate a strengthening relationship between Tesla and Saudi Arabia. In April 2025, Tesla officially launched its operations in the kingdom, opening a flagship store in Riyadh, signaling mended ties between Elon Musk and Saudi Arabia. Additionally, during a trip with President Trump to the Middle East in May 2025, Musk announced that Saudi Arabia had approved the use of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service for aviation and maritime applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Qatar<\/strong>: Elon Musk met with the chairman of Qatar\u2019s sovereign wealth fund, signaling potential investment discussions. The meeting preceded Musk\u2019s participation in the 2025 Qatar Economic Forum, highlighting Gulf states\u2019 growing influence in tech and green energy. Tesla continues to navigate competitive pressures while expanding its global footprint, with Middle Eastern investors playing a key role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

United Arab Emirates (UAE):<\/strong> The UAE has been strengthening its partnerships with U.S. tech giants for its national AI initiatives. The “Stargate UAE” project, announced in May 2025, is a collaboration between Emirati firm G42 and U.S. companies including Nvidia, OpenAI, Cisco, Oracle, and Japan’s SoftBank, aiming to build one of the world’s largest AI data campuses. This move aligns with the UAE’s strategy to bolster its AI capabilities through alliances with established U.S. technology firms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Possible Strategic Pathways Forward<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Gulf Leaders:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maintain Balanced Engagements<\/strong>: Continue fostering relationships with both U.S. political leadership and innovative tech entrepreneurs like Musk, ensuring national interests are safeguarded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diversify Partnerships:<\/strong> Expand collaborations beyond singular entities to include a broader range of tech firms, mitigating risks associated with geopolitical shifts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Elon Musk:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diplomatic Outreach<\/strong>: Engage in dialogue with U.S. political figures to address concerns and reaffirm commitments to national interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strengthen Global Alliances:<\/strong> Further develop international partnerships to diversify business interests and reduce dependency on any single market or political climate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bottomline: Navigating Complex Alliances<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"ATN\"
ATN<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Trump\u2013Musk fallout is more than a personality clash; it is a geopolitical stress test. For Gulf leaders, the choice is not about who is right\u2014but who holds more sway. And as of now, **Trump remains the gatekeeper to Washington\u2019s favor**, arms deals, and international credibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn Trump\u2019s world,\u201d I wrote in Chapter 9<\/u><\/a>, \u201cthose who defy him may survive\u2014but they never thrive.\u201d (p. 193)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Musk may still have the machines, the mind, and the money. But without political clearance from the man in the White House, his Middle East chapter may quietly close before it ever fully began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahmed Fathi is a United Nations correspondent, global affairs analyst, and author of\u3000<\/em>America First, The World Divided: Trump 2.0 Influence<\/u><\/em><\/a>. He writes about diplomacy, multilateralism, power, perception, and the politics that shape our global future.<\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Original URL: https:\/\/www.amerinews.tv\/posts\/trump-musk-and-the-gulf-states<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
An analysis drawn from America First, The World Divided: Trump 2.0 Influence By Ahmed Fathi New York, NY: When Elon Musk joined President Donald Trump on a high-profile tour of the Gulf just weeks ago, the message was unmistakable: the United States was reasserting its dominance in the tech and innovation race\u2014and the Gulf states were […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8858,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,93],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8855","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"category-politics"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8855"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8855\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8862,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8855\/revisions\/8862"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}