Steve Witkoff, President-elect Donald Trump’s recently appointed Middle East envoy, met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) last week to advance discussions on a prospective “mega-deal,” according to sources familiar with the talks. This meeting marks the first direct engagement between the Saudi leader and a representative of the incoming Trump administration since the November elections.
Trump has tasked Witkoff, a trusted confidant, with pursuing a groundbreaking agreement that would encompass normalized relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, alongside efforts to address the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“I want a long-lasting peace. I’m not saying that’s a very likely scenario… I want a peace where we don’t have an October 7 in another three years. I’d like to see everybody be happy,” Trump told Time magazine earlier this week in an interview marking his selection as the publication’s 2024 “Person of the Year.”
Key Topics in the Talks
Sources disclosed that Witkoff and MBS discussed pivotal issues, including U.S.-Saudi relations, the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and the possibility of Saudi-Israeli normalization. The meeting forms part of a broader series of discussions Trump’s advisors are conducting with regional leaders.
Earlier in the week, Witkoff attended a cryptocurrency conference in the UAE and held talks with Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s National Security Advisor. Their discussions covered regional concerns, including the war in Gaza and the Syrian conflict.
Meanwhile, Trump’s Middle East adviser, Massad Boulos, held separate talks with Qatar’s Prime Minister in Doha and later met with King Abdullah of Jordan in Washington. Boulos, who is also Trump’s son-in-law, plays a critical role in coordinating the administration’s Middle East strategy.
The Broader Context
The push for a Saudi-Israeli peace deal follows the Biden administration’s earlier efforts to negotiate a similar agreement, which faltered after the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. The proposed deal under Biden sought to incorporate a U.S.-Saudi defense pact and a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement, alongside a historic normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Saudi Arabia’s leadership has maintained its interest in reaching such a deal but has consistently emphasized the necessity of concrete steps toward establishing a Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted these demands, viewing Trump’s presidency as an opportunity to secure a deal without such concessions.
In an interview, Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, suggested Trump could revive his first-term peace plan as a centerpiece of his regional policy. “This is key for facilitating a peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. It could also enable the end of the war in Gaza and help implement a day-after reconstruction and security plan with strong Gulf support,” Dubowitz said.
Challenges Ahead
Despite Saudi Arabia’s openness to negotiations, significant hurdles remain. The region’s conflicts, combined with the demand for progress on Palestinian statehood, pose major obstacles. Trump’s team has declined to comment on the ongoing discussions, as have Saudi and UAE officials.
As momentum builds toward a potential agreement, the Trump administration aims to position itself as a central player in reshaping the Middle East’s geopolitical landscape, while pursuing what could become a legacy-defining achievement for the incoming president.