De-escalating a trade war, Middle Eastern diplomacy and the donation of a private jet: this has been President Donald Trump’s agenda over the past month, as he and his administration engage in diplomatic efforts.
Trump recently took a tour of the Middle East, visiting three countries: Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. During the trip, the president announced as much as $4 trillion worth of investments and business deals from the three nations.
Trump also spoke to the new president of Syria, Ahmed Al- Sahra, promising to lift long-standing sanctions on the country.
This marks the end of a period of diplomatic isolation for Syria as it recovers from its years-long civil war. While both of these actions have received praise from both U.S. political parties, other parts of the trip have spurred criticism. Notably, the donation of a luxury private jet to be used as Air Force One has drawn backlash. The Qatari government had been trying to sell the $200 million Boeing 747-8 plane for years but recently came to an agreement with the Trump administration where they would accept the plane as “a gift, free of charge,” according to President Trump.
Communications High School (CHS) students also have voiced concerns about the relevance of the donation. “I just think it’s a waste of money and materials for both countries. It wasn’t needed,” Freshman Sarah Furlong of Howell said.
Freshman Taylor Giberson of Ocean also voiced concerns about the importance of the donation. “There are people dying, and you’re worried about receiving a jet?” Giberson said.
Critics of the move cite security concerns, risks of bribery and the price of refitting the plane to presidential standards, which would cost at least $1 billion, according to the New York Times.
“I wonder if our ability to judge [Qatar’s] human rights record will be clouded by the fact of this large gift,” said Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, a Republican. In addition to his Middle Eastern diplomacy, Trump also
struck deals with China, de-escalating a brewing trade war between the two countries. A May 12 agreement between American and Chinese negotiators initiated a 90-day pause in tariffs imposed on one another, allowing for talks concerning the trade war between thetwo countries. Since April 2, the United States and China have imposed increasingly steep tariffs and other economic penalties on one another, with American tariffs on Chinese goods reaching 145% and Chinese tariffs on American goods reaching 125%, respectively. However, after a series of talks in Geneva, Switzerland, both countries agreed to reduce their tariffs; American tariffs on China were reduced to 30%, and Chinese tariffs on the United States were reduced to 10%. While neither side made clear concessions, the Trump
administration claims that the move is meant to maintain negotiations until the two parties can reach a full trade agreement.
“The consensus from both sides is that neither side wants a decoupling,” United States Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said.
According to the New York Times, the Trump administration believes it can forge a fruitful partnership with China, which is a sharp deviation from their more aggressive stance weeks earlier. While negotiations have held steady for now, it remains to be seen whether the two parties can reach a lasting deal within the 90-day truce.
