President Trump’s recent Middle East tour dazzled the world with historic deals, lavish welcomes, and diplomatic breakthroughs.
Even some Democrats acknowledge Biden’s cognitive decline limited his ability to achieve similar successes.
Trump’s Middle East tour wins diplomacy and $2 trillion deals
President Trump’s high-profile Middle East trip sparked rare praise from Democrats and drew sharp contrast with President Biden’s leadership.
Trump visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, landing major economic, diplomatic, and security breakthroughs across the region.
The tour included lavish welcomes, red-carpet ceremonies, and high-stakes negotiations.
The White House claims over $2 trillion in new agreements, with Trump stating total commitments could reach $4 trillion.
Trump’s whirlwind trip included visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. His aides also secured the release of Edan Alexander, the last American hostage held by Hamas since October 2023.
In Riyadh, Trump announced an end to longstanding U.S. sanctions on Syria and met with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former Al Qaeda member now embracing religious diversity.
Trump called for “a chance at greatness” and the concept of ending “permanent enemies.”
He also revealed al-Sharaa’s private agreement to establish diplomatic relations with Israel, reinforcing regional peace efforts like the Abraham Accords.
The White House reported more than $2 trillion in business commitments, including $600 billion from Saudi Arabia, $243.5 billion from Qatar, and $200 billion from the UAE. Notably, Qatar Airways and UAE’s Etihad plan to buy over $110 billion worth of American Boeing aircraft.
Democrats say Biden lacks Trump’s Middle East stamina
Multiple Democratic aides admitted Trump’s success stemmed from his energy and command during critical negotiations.
A senior congressional Democrat bluntly said, “It’s amazing what can be accomplished when the president isn’t f–king brain dead,”
Even White House staff under Biden conceded Trump showed strength and presence that mattered in foreign negotiations.
“This whole Middle East trip shows [that] for a lot of these negotiations, you do really need somebody who has that energy and level-headedness,” one high-ranking Biden White House aide confided.
“I’m the first person to say I do not agree with all of Trump’s policies, especially some foreign policies, but when it comes to showing up and showing strength and power, I think his team and [Trump] do a really great job of that.”
Ex-Biden aides say younger Biden could match some Trump deals
Former Biden officials noted that Biden’s earlier political career suggested potential for similar deals. One said, “A younger Joe Biden could have done the Houthis deal,” referencing peace talks involving Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
“The deal with the Houthis, I think that a younger Joe Biden, a Joe Biden that was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee could have done that,” said the former White House official, who served the entirety of Biden’s four-year term. “I don’t know now if an older Joe Biden could have the stamina and the negotiating sense to do that at that level.”
Yet, questions remain about the current president’s stamina and negotiating ability at his age and health status.
Trump’s leadership drew admiration even from former Biden officials
Former Biden officials admitted Trump commanded respect across the region through optics, diplomacy, and personal engagement.
“They treated him with deference — camels, Teslas, motorcades. That doesn’t happen for Biden,” one official noted.
“Landing and having all those camels, doing that big motorcade where you had the red Tesla trucks — all the Middle East really showed a deference to him, and they were trying to woo him,” they said. “And whether that’s really for his personal optics or for the United States of America, that’s to be determined.
“But I am not so sure that they would have done the same kind of pomp and circumstance for Joe Biden.”
Trump’s presence reportedly “impressed” leaders who sought strong U.S. alliances.
“He showed up and they responded,” a source said, citing the pomp of Trump’s welcome in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.
While,Jake Tapper’s upcoming book highlights Biden’s physical and cognitive decline in his final year.
Former staff described him as increasingly absent and reliant on a small circle of advisors like Antony Blinken.
A Hill staffer criticized Biden’s re-election push and handoff to Kamala Harris.
“He set us up to fail — and pushed woke garbage that alienated voters,” the source added.