Washington DC [US]: In a major geopolitical and economic move, US President Donald Trump announced a series of landmark agreements with Qatar valued at more than USD 243.5 billion, with a broader economic partnership projected to reach USD 1.2 trillion, according to a statement from the White House.
The deals, signed during Trump’s visit to Qatar as part of his four-day Gulf tour, span multiple sectors including aviation, defence, energy, and quantum technologies, and are expected to support over 1 million American jobs.
Boeing-GE Aerospace: Largest Widebody Aircraft Order in History
At the center of the agreements is a USD 96 billion sale of Boeing aircraft and GE Aerospace engines to Qatar Airways, marking the largest widebody aircraft order in Boeing’s history. The deal includes the acquisition of up to 210 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 777X jets, and is expected to support 154,000 US jobs annually during its production and delivery.
President Trump hailed the agreements as a turning point for American industry, saying they would “drive innovation, bolster US manufacturing, and usher in a new Golden Age for American prosperity.”
Quantum Tech and Defence: Expanding US-Qatar Strategic Ties
Qatar also committed to invest up to USD 1 billion in a quantum technology joint venture with the US, which will focus on advanced research and workforce development, reinforcing both countries’ positions in emerging tech.
On the security front, Qatar signed defence deals worth over USD 3 billion, including:
- A USD 1 billion agreement with Raytheon for counter-drone systems, making Qatar the first international customer of the FS-LIDS (Fixed Site – Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aerial System Integrated Defeat System).
- A USD 2 billion agreement with General Atomics for the acquisition of MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft, enhancing Qatar’s multi-mission UAV capabilities.
The US and Qatar also signed a statement of intent to deepen defence cooperation, outlining potential investments exceeding USD 38 billion, including support for operations at Al Udeid Air Base, a key US military installation in the Gulf.
Strategic Impact and Regional Implications
The agreements signal a deepening of the US-Qatar alliance, with economic and military dimensions reinforcing Qatar’s position as a key American partner in the Middle East.
“These new agreements aim to drive the growth of the US-Qatar bilateral commercial relationship, create thousands of well-paying jobs, and open new trade and investment opportunities for both countries over the coming decade and beyond,” the White House noted.
President Trump is currently on a four-day tour of the Gulf, having already visited Saudi Arabia and scheduled to conclude the trip in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The deals with Qatar follow a similar pattern of high-value strategic agreements signed in Riyadh.