In a historic address in Riyadh, President Donald Trump may have delivered the most pivotal speech of his presidency outside U.S. soil, potentially redefining the Middle East’s future.

Speaking at the Saudi-US Investment Forum on May 13, Trump not only secured a staggering $600 billion defense and energy deal with Saudi Arabia but also laid out a radical blueprint for peace that could end decades of conflict—if the region seizes the moment.

His words, a fiery mix of critique and optimism, targeted past U.S. policies while offering a new path rooted in commerce over conquest, leaving the world wondering: could this be the turning point for a war-torn region?

Trump’s speech was a scathing indictment of America’s history of “nation-building,” a concept he lambasted as a destructive failure fueled by USAID and bipartisan support.

He directly attacked the legacies of living predecessors—George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden—whose administrations, he claimed, ignited trillion-dollar conflicts that left the Middle East in ruins.

“Nation builders, neocons, and Western interventionists wrecked far more nations than they built,” Trump declared, accusing them of meddling in complex societies they never understood.

After decades of carnage, he argued, a “land of innovation and harmony” is within reach—but only if locals take control and outsiders stop “joy-riding tanks through ancient streets.”

The room froze when Trump turned to Iran, slamming Tehran’s rulers as “the most destructive force” in the region for their proxy wars, yet extending an olive branch: abandon conflict, rejoin global markets, and trade pariah status for prosperity.

“I’m offering a far better path,” he said, a challenge to Iran’s leadership to pivot toward peace through economic integration. The audience leaned in, sensing a seismic shift in U.S. policy.

Trump didn’t stop at Iran. He mocked previous presidents for trying to “soul-read” foreign leaders, asserting that judgment is God’s job, not Washington’s. His role, he insisted, is to defend U.S. interests—stability, prosperity, peace, full stop.

As proof, he pointed to 1,100 pinpoint strikes on Yemen’s Houthis, which forced a stand-down without endless desert patrols. “Deter and depart,” Trump called it, a model for limited-scope retaliation that avoids the quagmires of past wars.

He also applauded Syria’s new unity, a subtle jab at regime-change blunders, arguing stability trumps chaos. U.S. aid, he added, would now hinge on cease-fire metrics, not utopian dreams.

The heart of Trump’s vision was a challenge to “responsible nations” to shelve grudges and align on commerce, envisioning a Middle Eastern Silicon Valley that could shock the world.

“A future defined by commerce, not chaos—exporting technology, not terrorism,” he proclaimed. The crowd’s cautious smiles turned to camera-ready grins as the idea sank in: capitalism, not conflict, could be the region’s salvation.

Sealing the moment, Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman inked a $600 billion deal, signing U.S.-Saudi memorandums of understanding for military upgrades and energy cooperation.

The pact, including a $142 billion defense agreement, positions Saudi Arabia as a key partner in Trump’s vision, with investments in AI data centers, energy infrastructure, and cultural exchanges like Arabian leopard conservation.

But the real headline was Trump’s rejection of interventionism, a stance that could reshape U.S. foreign policy and the Middle East’s trajectory.

Critics warn the road ahead is fraught. Iran’s response to Trump’s overture remains uncertain, and Saudi-Israeli normalization—a key U.S. goal—faces hurdles without progress on Palestinian statehood.

Yet, Trump’s speech has ignited a rare spark of hope. If commerce can indeed replace conflict, the Middle East might finally turn a corner—leaving the era of endless wars in the dust.