Trump announces $96 billion Boeing and GE deal with Qatar Airways as part of massive Middle East investment push

Trump announces $96 billion Boeing and GE deal with Qatar Airways

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a $96 billion aircraft and engine deal with Qatar Airways, marking a significant milestone for American manufacturing. The agreement includes up to 210 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 777X aircraft, along with more than 400 GEnx and GE9X engines from GE Aerospace. The order, which Boeing says is its largest for widebody and 787 models, will make Qatar Airways the biggest Dreamliner operator in the Middle East, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Boost for American jobs and industry
The White House said the aircraft deal will support 154,000 US jobs annually, contributing over a million jobs over the life of the production and delivery process. Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stephanie Pope noted that the team is “looking forward to building 787s and 777s for Qatar Airways into the next decade,” emphasizing the long-term economic impact of the partnership.

Part of a wider $243.5 billion Qatar-US investment pact
The Boeing-GE deal is just one part of a broader $243.5 billion investment agreement between the US and Qatar. Other defence-related announcements included a $1 billion order with Raytheon, a subsidiary of RTX, to enhance Qatar’s counter-drone systems, and a nearly $2 billion agreement with General Atomics for MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft.

Trump links deals to wider Middle East strategy
The aircraft order is a centrepiece of President Trump’s ongoing four-day tour of the Middle East, aimed at boosting US manufacturing and exports. The White House characterized these deals as part of a strategy to secure long-term American economic and security interests in the region while drawing investment from key partners like Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia unveils $600 billion in tech and energy investments
As part of Tuesday’s announcements, Saudi Arabia committed to invest $600 billion in US technology firms and energy infrastructure. Companies such as AMD, Alphabet, Oracle, and Uber were named as major beneficiaries. Nvidia will also sell 18,000 chips, and AMD expects to supply $10 billion in processors to Saudi Arabia’s AI firm Humain. Cisco announced a new multiyear partnership with the kingdom’s AI initiative.

Infrastructure and energy deals deepen economic ties
Additional deals include a $2 billion infrastructure build-out by American firms Hill International, AECOM, Parsons, and Jacobs in Saudi Arabia. GE Vernova is set to deliver up to $14.2 billion in gas turbines and energy systems, while Shamekh IV Solutions will invest $5.8 billion in the US, including a new plant in Michigan. Saudi Arabia’s DataVolt also plans to invest $20 billion in AI data centres in the US, working with Super Micro Computer.