In February 2025, former President Donald Trump took the stage at the FII PRIORITY Summit in Miami Beach. This event, backed by Saudi government entities, was all about bringing together big names in business and politics. The main sponsor? The Saudi Public Investment Fund, with other Saudi government entities like the Saudi Ministry of Investment and Riyad Bank also on board.

Trump's speech came hot on the heels of some serious talks in Riyadh between the U. S. and Russia about ending the war in Ukraine. The U. S. administration was also looking to get Saudi Arabia on board with handling the situation in Gaza. This event was a big deal for Saudi Arabia, as they had previously pledged to invest a whopping $600 billion in the U. S. over four years.

Trump's speech was a mix of promoting his own properties and praising Saudi Arabia. He singled out Saudi Arabia and its leaders, calling it a "special place with special leaders. " He also gave a shout-out to Saudi finance minister Mohammad Al-Jadaan and noted the presence of Saudi ambassador Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud and billionaire Elon Musk. Trump even mentioned his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, calling him "a very special guy. "

Trump's ties with Saudi Arabia go way back. The Trump Organization has plans to build a Trump Tower in Jeddah and another Trump-branded property in Riyadh. Eric Trump, the president's son and executive vice president of the Trump Organization, announced these plans. The Saudi Public Investment Fund also invested $2 billion in Kushner's private equity firm after Trump left office.

The Trump family's business ties with Saudi Arabia have raised some serious questions. Why was Trump speaking at this event? Could his business interests be influencing his dealings with Saudi Arabia? Some experts think so. Jordan Libowitz, vice president of communications for the Citizens for Responsible Ethics in Government, said, "You kind of have to question when you see something like this, is this being done to advance Trump's business interests, or is there a reason America wants a president there? "

Trump's speech also touched on his plans to lower corporate tax rates for businesses that manufacture in the U. S. He praised his administration's work on deporting illegal immigrants and Musk's efforts to cut government spending. Trump floated the idea of giving 20% of the savings back to Americans and using another 20% to pay down debt. But where the other 60% would go? That's still a mystery.

The Trump Organization's ties with Saudi Arabia go beyond real estate. The Saudi-funded LIV Golf league has held several tournaments at Trump golf courses. Human Rights Watch has raised concerns about Saudi Arabia's involvement in LIV, saying it's a way for the country to "sportswash" its human rights record. Trump has defended his involvement with LIV, casting doubt on Saudi Arabia's involvement in the 9/11 attacks.

Trump's business ties with Saudi Arabia raise ethical and national security concerns. Scott Amey, general counsel for the Project on Government Oversight, said, "Trump has not properly divested from his business holdings and recently announced a new hotel in Saudi Arabia. Every meeting that involves current or potential business partners or investors is a conflict. These entanglements raise numerous ethics concerns as well as national security concerns because we are talking about Saudi interests where there is even less of a distinction between the ruling family and their businesses. "

Trump's Speech at Saudi-Backed Event Raises Eyebrows

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