Trump condemns 'interventionalists,' pitches 'more hopeful future' in Middle East speech

President Trump delivered a sweeping address in Riyadh, condemning decades of failed Western interventionism while laying out a bold new vision for the Middle East based on peace, prosperity, and self-determination. “This great transformation has not come from Western interventionalists,” Trump declared, calling out “neo-cons” and “liberal non-profits” for wasting trillions in failed projects like Kabul and Baghdad. Instead, he praised the rise of new regional leaders and celebrated Saudi Arabia’s shift toward progress and partnership. Trump hailed a wave of U.S.-Saudi agreements totaling $600 billion, including a record-breaking $142 billion defense deal and a $20 billion investment in American AI infrastructure by Saudi firm DataVolt. The deals are expected to generate up to 2 million U.S. jobs. Joined by Elon Musk, Trump’s Riyadh summit marked a powerful moment in U.S. foreign policy: rejecting chaos, embracing commerce, and redefining America’s role in U.S. foreign policy.