Trump Highlights Camel Trade and Boeing Order During Qatar Visit

Trump Highlights Camel Trade and Boeing Order During Qatar Visit

US President Donald Trump continued his high-profile Gulf tour on Wednesday by announcing a landmark agreement between Qatar and Boeing, which he described as the largest in the American aerospace company’s history. At a ceremony in Doha alongside Qatar’s ruler, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Trump revealed that Qatar Airways had committed to purchasing up to 210 Boeing aircraft, including 787 Dreamliners and 777-9 jets, in a deal valued at $96 billion.

Trump praised the agreement, stating, “Congratulations to Boeing. Get those planes out there,” and expressed gratitude to the Qatari leadership for the order. The deal represents a significant boost for Boeing, which has faced a series of challenges in recent years, including a 2024 incident involving a jet losing a rear door mid-flight and a separate crash involving a Korean airline. These events, coupled with ongoing concerns about quality control, have weighed heavily on Boeing’s share price. However, news of the Qatar order prompted a 1.5 percent rise in Boeing’s shares on Wednesday.

Industry analysts have noted that, given the unprecedented scale of the order, Qatar Airways is likely to negotiate substantial discounts from the list price. The agreement arrives amid intense competition in the global aviation sector, with rival manufacturers expected to respond in the coming months. Market reactions and scrutiny over Trump’s business ties are anticipated to continue as further details emerge.

The Boeing deal was the centerpiece of Trump’s visit to Qatar, the second stop on his three-nation Gulf tour. The White House claimed that Trump had secured $1.2 trillion in “economic commitments” from Qatar, though officials clarified that finalized deals amounted to more than $240 billion, including the Boeing order.

Qatar’s ruling family welcomed Trump with lavish pageantry, including cavalry escorts and a display of camels. Trump remarked to Sheikh Tamim, “We appreciate those camels, I haven’t seen camels like that in a long time,” underscoring the ceremonial warmth of the visit.

Key Agreements and Economic Impact

In addition to the aviation deal, Trump announced further agreements in Qatar’s defense and energy sectors. These included a $1 billion sale of Raytheon’s unmanned aircraft defeat systems and a nearly $2 billion deal for General Atomics MQ-9B drones. Qatar, home to the world’s largest natural gas field, has seen its status as a key supplier of liquefied natural gas rise sharply since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Trump’s Gulf tour began in Saudi Arabia, where his administration unveiled $600 billion in deals, including $142 billion in arms sales. While many of these agreements remain non-binding, several are expected to materialize. US technology stocks, particularly chipmakers such as Nvidia and AMD, surged following announcements of new partnerships with Saudi entities and Trump’s reversal of Biden-era export controls on advanced AI chips to Gulf states.

As Trump’s Gulf tour continues, the record-breaking Boeing order in Qatar stands out as a major economic and diplomatic achievement, though its long-term impact will depend on market dynamics and the evolving competitive landscape.