Trump Embraces Bahrain’s ‘Fantastic Ally’ Status With $17b Deal And Nuclear Pact

A handshake worth billions. Former President Trump welcomed Bahrain’s announcement of over $17 billion in investments to the United States, calling the Gulf nation a “fantastic ally.” The deal includes a massive $7 billion purchase of Boeing aircraft for Gulf Air—twelve planes with an option for six more. Not just empty promises, folks. These deals are real.

America securing billions while making fantastic allies. Trump’s dealmaking delivers real results, not just empty promises.

Gulf Air’s shopping spree doesn’t stop at planes. The agreement covers 40 General Electric engines too. American workers in aviation, tech, and manufacturing sectors can thank Bahrain for supporting about 30,000 jobs. Big names like Oracle, Cisco, and GE are getting pieces of this Middle Eastern pie.

Bahrain is dumping Chinese firms for American tech companies. Smart move. The investment targets joint development in aluminum production, logistics, and advanced AI shipping—all while reinforcing U.S. technological leadership in essential sectors. Because who doesn’t want American tech instead of Chinese surveillance equipment? Just saying. Bahrain plans to replace Chinese-made servers with Cisco products throughout its infrastructure.

The relationship goes beyond commerce. A peaceful nuclear partnership agreement was signed between Bahrain and the U.S., creating a framework for future commercial nuclear capabilities. The meeting with Crown Prince Salman bin Hammad al-Khalifa took place in the Oval Office. The U.S. Secretary of State and Bahraini Foreign Minister put pen to paper right before the White House meeting. Nuclear deals with Middle Eastern countries—what could possibly go wrong?

Militarily, Bahrain remains vital to American interests. They host the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and help contain Iranian influence in the region. Nobody mentions the authoritarian Sunni monarchy part much. Funny how that works when you’re guarding America’s oil routes.

This all happened against the backdrop of the Abraham Accords, with Bahrain having normalized relations with Israel in 2020. Regional tensions with Iran and escalating situations in Syria hover in the background.

Meanwhile, Bahrain still faces a 10% baseline tariff on exports to the U.S., but at least they’re spared the broader tariffs hitting other countries. Friends get perks.