WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday teased that he will make a major announcement ahead of his trip next week to the Middle East, without revealing what it would be.

“We’re going to have a very, very big announcement to make. Like, as big as it gets, and I won’t tell you on what. And it’s very positive,” Trump said in the Oval Office.

“It’ll be one of the most important announcements that have been made in years about a certain subject,” Trump said.

Trump did not offer further clues. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was opening a meeting with Trump, responded drily: “I’m on the edge of my seat.” Trump heads next week to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on the first foreign trip of his second term other than a brief stop in Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis.

Diplomats say that the United States is hoping for progress ahead of Trump’s trip on Gaza, where Israel has cut off shipments of food and other supplies for two months as it unleashes a renewed assault.

Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden have both sought recognition of Israel by Saudi Arabia but the Saudis have stated that they first need to see progress towards a Palestinian state.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2025