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.
