MIAMI — US President Donald Trump highlighted Saudi Arabia's leadership and economic influence during his speech at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Miami on Wednesday. Trump opened his address by touting his real estate properties in the Miami area before shifting focus to Middle Eastern leaders, notably singling out Saudi Arabia. "In particular, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—a special place with special leaders," he said, giving special recognition to Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan and Public Investment Fund (PIF) Yasir Al-Rumayyan. He also pointed out the presence of Saudi Ambassador to the US, Princess Reema bint Bandar, who was seated next to billionaire Elon Musk in the audience. Additionally, he gave a nod to his son-in-law and former Middle East advisor, Jared Kushner, calling him "a very special guy." Trump commended Saudi Arabia for its role in hosting recent peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, as well as for the efforts of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. However, in a sharp remark, Trump once again criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, referring to him as a "dictator." Shifting to economic policy, Trump reiterated his commitment to boosting US manufacturing by offering lower corporate tax rates to businesses that produce goods domestically. "I come today with a simple message for business leaders from all across the nation and all around the world," Trump said. "If you want to build the future, push boundaries, unleash breakthroughs, transform industries, or make a fortune—there's no better place on earth than the current and future United States of America under a certain president named Donald J. Trump." He also highlighted his administration's efforts to curb illegal immigration and praised Musk's initiatives to reduce the size of government, endorsing the tech billionaire's goal of slashing up to $2 trillion in government spending. Trump floated the idea of redirecting 20% of the savings achieved by the Department of Government Efficiency back to American citizens while allocating another 20% toward national debt repayment. However, with the US federal debt currently exceeding $36 trillion, it remains unclear how the remaining 60% of those savings would be used. When asked about his legacy by Richard Attias, Chairman of the FII Institute Executive Committee, Trump positioned the US as a global force for peace. "We are a country of peace, and we brought peace to the rest of the world," he stated. "But you need strength—without strength, you can't have peace. You need peace through strength."
