by Sharon Rondeau
(May 14, 2025) — On Wednesday afternoon in the Middle-Eastern nation of Qatar, U.S. President Donald J. Trump signed several agreements with Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani along with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Al Thani counterparts.
The signing followed at least two hours of discussion between Al Thani and Trump and was broadcast live by podcaster Benny Johnson, RSBN, and others.
The first agreement was a contract for Qatar to purchase 160 jet aircraft from Boeing, with Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg signing with Al Thani’s designee.
An additional agreement, announced in late March, was for Qatar to buy eight Q-9 Predator drones from the United States, a purchase Qatar had unsuccessfully sought during the Biden era, the AP reported.
Trump was greeted Wednesday afternoon with a rolled-out red carpet with gold trim and Qatari military members on steeds and camels who escorted him to the emir’s palace, many bearing American flags.
Johnson called the procession “the camel motorcade,” or “camelcade” and called on his producer to locate the video in response to listeners’ requests.
After arriving at the palace, a “sword dance” was performed, Johnson narrated as his producers aired footage of white-robed men chanting and holding what might have been scimitars.
No American president has ever visited Qatar, Johnson pointed out during the broadcast and Al Thani noted when greeting Trump inside the palace.
Early in his first term, Trump declared the country “a funder of terrorism at a very high level.”
The transformation in Qatar’s relationship with the U.S., Fox News reported, began in 2022.
After the signing, the 44-year-old Al Thani addressed the public in perfect English, thanking Trump for the “historic visit,” after which Trump thanked Al Thani for engaging in discussions about the Iranian problem, “trade” and the Russia-Ukraine war.
In the past, Johnson commented, “Qatar helped funnel money” for Iran, marveling at the “empire-building” he believes Trump is conducting with his foreign policy and diplomacy.
“He’s taking from his enemies right now,” Johnson continued, invoking the CEOs of Nvidia and other technology companies present at the investment conference Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking Trump’s first stop in the Middle East hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Prior to landing in Saudi Arabia Tuesday, Air Force One was escorted by six Saudi fighter jets, and bin Salman was present when Trump emerged from Air Force One.
Members of the military on white Arabian horses then escorted Trump’s motorcade to the Royal Palace.
The Riyadh conference resulted in a $142 billion purchase of “equipment and services” to be provided by U.S. defense companies, the New York Post quoted a White House readout as stating.
An additional $20 billion will be invested in U.S. AI endeavors, with tech CEOs pledging to spend $80 billion in domestic and reciprocal projects.
“…Trump’s stealing from the left..,” Johnson said. To people who would say, “Qatar, they’re bad,” Johnson said, “It is a good thing to take from your enemy the ultimate problem in the Middle East…let’s neutralize them…which is what President Trump is doing right now…”
He noted Trump on Tuesday also met with the interim Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa who came into power after Bashar al-Assad was driven out in December.
An election is expected to take place within several years after the country is stabilized, according to al-Sharaa, preceded by a national census and drafting of a constitution.
Al-Sharaa was designated a terrorist by the United States. “The encounter in Saudi Arabia is a milestone for a man who joined al Qaeda in Iraq around the time of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and spent years in U.S. prison there before returning to Syria to join the insurgency against Bashar al-Assad,” USA Today reported Wednesday morning.
Following his encounter with al-Sharaa, Trump declared him a “young, attractive guy” who has “a real shot at holding it together.” At the same time, he denounced the Iranian government for interfering and bringing about “unthinkable suffering in Syria.”
At the conference Tuesday, Trump pledged to lift sanctions against Syria in place since 2011 at the request of bin Salman and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“Good luck, Syria,” Trump said. “Show us something very special.”
“He’s taking Qatar and he’s bringing them to our side, and he’s resetting the table entirely,” Johnson exclaimed further of Trump’s Middle East trip. Accompanying video, Johnson observed that on Wednesday morning, bin Salman rode with Trump in “the Beast” to the airport for his departure for Qatar.
“The king doesn’t travel in foreign vehicles,” Johnson noted.
As the footage showed, bin Salman stood at the foot of the airstairs, covered in purple carpeting in preparation for Trump’s arrival on Tuesday, to see off the president. After Trump ascended the stairs and looked down in farewell, bin Salman he put his hand on his heart twice, with Trump following suit before disappearing into the interior of the plane.