US President Donald Trump on Tuesday sparked speculation by promising a major announcement ahead of his upcoming Middle East trip , calling it “as big as it gets” but refusing to share any specifics.
“We're going to have a very, very big announcement to make. Like, as big as it gets, and I won't tell you on what. And it's very positive,” Trump said in the Oval Office during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
“It'll be one of the most important announcements that have been made in years about a certain subject,” he added, offering no clues as to the content. Carney, seated beside him, responded with a dry quip: “I'm on the edge of my seat.”
The statement came just days before Trump is scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates — his first major foreign trip of the term, following a brief stop in Rome earlier this year for the funeral of Pope Francis.
Gaza, Israel, and a possible deal?
Diplomatic sources suggest the US hopes to make progress on the situation in Gaza ahead of the trip. Israel’s ongoing siege and bombardment of the territory, now in its second month, has cut off food and essential supplies, raising concerns about humanitarian collapse.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Tuesday said Gaza “will be entirely destroyed,” reiterating plans to forcibly displace much of the population following Hamas’s October 2023 attacks.
Trump, like his predecessor Joe Biden, has sought a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, but Riyadh has maintained it will not recognize Israel without significant movement toward Palestinian statehood . US officials believe progress on hostage releases and humanitarian access could be key to unlocking talks.
Business and geopolitics
Beyond diplomacy, Trump is also expected to pursue major energy and defense deals with the oil-rich Gulf states. The administration has hinted that announcements related to economic cooperation and security alignments could be on the agenda.
Qatar, which has served as a critical intermediary in hostage negotiations, has indicated it will continue its mediation efforts, even as talks remain fragile.
“We're going to have a very, very big announcement to make. Like, as big as it gets, and I won't tell you on what. And it's very positive,” Trump said in the Oval Office during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
“It'll be one of the most important announcements that have been made in years about a certain subject,” he added, offering no clues as to the content. Carney, seated beside him, responded with a dry quip: “I'm on the edge of my seat.”
The statement came just days before Trump is scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates — his first major foreign trip of the term, following a brief stop in Rome earlier this year for the funeral of Pope Francis.
Gaza, Israel, and a possible deal?
Diplomatic sources suggest the US hopes to make progress on the situation in Gaza ahead of the trip. Israel’s ongoing siege and bombardment of the territory, now in its second month, has cut off food and essential supplies, raising concerns about humanitarian collapse.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Tuesday said Gaza “will be entirely destroyed,” reiterating plans to forcibly displace much of the population following Hamas’s October 2023 attacks.
Trump, like his predecessor Joe Biden, has sought a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, but Riyadh has maintained it will not recognize Israel without significant movement toward Palestinian statehood . US officials believe progress on hostage releases and humanitarian access could be key to unlocking talks.
Business and geopolitics
Beyond diplomacy, Trump is also expected to pursue major energy and defense deals with the oil-rich Gulf states. The administration has hinted that announcements related to economic cooperation and security alignments could be on the agenda.
Qatar, which has served as a critical intermediary in hostage negotiations, has indicated it will continue its mediation efforts, even as talks remain fragile.
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