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(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump spoke to troops astatine Al Udeid Air Base connected Thursday, touting a relationship betwixt Qatar and the United States that helium says has "never been stronger."
"You volition ne'er spot thing similar the narration we have," Trump said astatine the facility, the largest U.S. subject hub successful the Middle East.
Qatar is expected to put $10 cardinal successful the base, Trump said Thursday.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth besides addressed troops astir his imaginativeness for the military, which helium said volition beryllium "stronger than ever before."
Backlash has mounted aft Qatar offered Trump a escaped Air Force One replacement — a Boeing 747 worthy $400 million.
“I would ne'er beryllium 1 to crook down that benignant of an offer,” Trump told reporters Monday. “I could beryllium a anserine idiosyncratic and say, ‘No, we don’t privation a free, precise costly airplane.’”
Trump's Middle East travel continues successful Abu Dhabi
Trump and his entourage are expected to sojourn Abu Dhabi, the superior of the United Arab Emirates, connected Thursday, the past limb of his four-day travel to the Middle East.
Trump predicted connected Thursday that his circuit could bring the U.S. up to $4 trillion successful deals.
He secured $600 cardinal successful Saudi investments Tuesday, followed by massive craft and defence deals with Qatari leaders connected Wednesday.
US, Iran 'close to possibly doing a deal': Trump
On Thursday, Trump discussed U.S. attacks connected Iran-backed Houthi rebels, saying American forces deed them hard and got out.
A important extremity of Trump's travel to the Middle East is to forestall Iran from obtaining a atomic weapon.
"So we'll spot what happens, but we're successful precise superior negotiations with Iran for semipermanent peace," Trump said, adding that Iran has "sort of agreed to the terms."
"We're getting adjacent to possibly doing a deal," helium said.
Trump besides projected upgrades to respective combatant pitchy models, including F-35, F-55 and F-22 combatant jets.
Trump, Putin skipping negotiations successful Turkey
Russia-Ukraine bid talks volition statesman successful Turkey connected Thursday, with Trump's apical diplomat, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, representing the administration.
Trump said Thursday helium could sojourn "if thing happened" during the negotiations.
"I was reasoning astir going, but it's precise pugnacious due to the fact that of what we're doing contiguous and tomorrow. But you know, if thing happened, I'd spell connected Friday if it was appropriate," Trump said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is attending the Istanbul meeting. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has opted out of the ceasefire discussions, according to a delegation database released by the Kremlin connected Wednesday.
NewsNation's Anna Kutz contributed to this report.
