How Trump is turning U.S. foreign policy into an investment tool—and what it means for global markets and major corporate stocks.
By Professor Andrew Azarov, Economics and Business, International Business Academy Consortium
Geo-Economics Instead of Geopolitics
President Donald Trump is redefining the very nature of U.S. foreign policy in his second term. His administration is shifting from traditional priorities such as national security, human rights, and alliances towards a pragmatic approach driven by economic interests. The core idea: if a deal is profitable, it’s worth pursuing — regardless of the partner’s political system.
This approach was clearly reflected during Trump’s recent tour of the Middle East, which resulted in agreements worth over $2 trillion. These were not merely diplomatic visits — they were part of a large-scale commercial expansion designed to bolster U.S. global influence through business ties.
Deals Over Doctrine: Examples of the New Diplomacy
- Saudi Arabia: $600+ billion in deals, including $142 billion in military procurement.
- Qatar: $243 billion in agreements, including a $96 billion Boeing order.
- UAE: $14.5 billion for aviation and AI development.
The most dramatic move was lifting all sanctions on Syria in return for regional investment guarantees — effectively "unfreezing" a war zone for profit-driven diplomacy.
Who Was in the Delegation: From Diplomats to Tycoons
The delegation included both government officials and corporate leaders:
- Steven Witkoff – Special Envoy to the Middle East
- Morgan Ortagus – Deputy Envoy
- Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX)
- Sam Altman (OpenAI)
- Sundar Pichai (Google)
- Andy Jassy (Amazon)
- Satya Nadella (Microsoft)
- Jensen Huang (Nvidia)
- Marc Benioff (Salesforce)
- Dara Khosrowshahi (Uber)
- Larry Fink (BlackRock)
- Steve Schwarzman (Blackstone)
- Bob Iger (Disney)
This mix underscores the centrality of business and tech in America’s foreign strategy.
Main Economic Cooperation Areas
- Defense – major contracts with Saudi Arabia.
- AI and Innovation – 18,000 Nvidia GPUs to power new regional data centers.
- Culture – Disney plans a theme park in Abu Dhabi.
- Logistics – Amazon and Uber plan Gulf expansion.
- Finance – BlackRock and Blackstone launching new funds in the region.
Stock Market Outlook
These mega-deals are already influencing stock prices of involved companies.
The Nvidia deal reinforces its AI dominance, while Disney enters new markets.
Risks and Strategic Concerns
- Over-reliance on authoritarian regimes may damage U.S. image.
- Traditional allies like India and Israel may feel sidelined.
- Corporates replacing diplomats could undermine crisis management.
Global Consequences: A New Model of Influence?
This shift from ideology to economic leverage signals a new form of influence:
- Investments as soft power
- Corporations as foreign policy agents
- Profit driving political alliances
Conclusion
Trump’s diplomacy-as-commerce may signal a long-term shift. International trips now resemble investor roadshows, and ambassadors are CEOs. The U.S. could be moving from ideological leader to global business integrator. Time will tell whether this experiment becomes doctrine.