Trump admin live updates: Trump comments as Boeing, Qatar sign deal amid plane flap

Upon touching down in Qatar, Trump participated in a signing ceremony with the emir of Qatar, where their friendship was on full display as they signed several agreements.

The first agreement was an "agreement of buying an aircraft from Boeing," which was signed by Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg for the United States. There were no additional details disclosed, but Trump later touted it as Qatar's largest order in Boeing jet history and congratulated Kelly.

Next, each country's defense secretary signed a number of agreements between Qatar and the United States, one of which was a deal for Qatar to purchase new MQ-9B drones. The U.S. gave initial approval for that purchase in March.

President Donald Trump and Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad al Thani attend a signing ceremony at the Amiri Diwan, May 14, 2025, in Doha, Qatar.

Lastly, the president and emir signed a joint declaration of cooperation between Qatar and the U.S.

After the signing ceremony, Trump remarked that it had been an "interesting couple of hours" in which they discussed the Russia-Ukraine war and Iran, expressing gratitude for Qatar's "great help."

He also touted his friendship with Qatar, praising the emir for their long-standing "special" relationship and saying the emir reminded him of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman because they are both "tall, handsome guys that happen to be very smart."

-ABC News' Molly Nagle, Michelle Stoddart, Fritz Farrow, Kelsey Walsh and Justin Gomez

Prior to arriving in Qatar, Trump was asked about his meeting with Syria's President Ahmad al-Sharaa, telling reporters that he found the country's new leader to be "very good," adding that he's a "young, attractive guy."

"He's got a real shot at pulling it together. I spoke with President Erdogan, who I'm very friendly with. He feels he's got a shot of doing a good job. It's a torn-up country," Trump added.

Trump said that he thought that Syria would join the Abraham Accords after Syria "gets themselves straightened out," but he added that the nation has "a lot of work to do."

President Donald Trump watches as Saudi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shakes hands with Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 14, 2025.

When asked whether he'd consulted Israel before lifting the sanctions on Syria, Trump said his administration told Israel they would do it. The president also said he rolled back the sanctions at the urging of Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

"The reason I did it is because I spoke with the President Erdogan and I spoke to Mohammed, as you know, and they thought it was very important to do, it gives ... them a much better chance of survival as a country," Trump said.

– ABC News' Michelle Stoddart and Justin Gomez

During a gaggle on Air Force One while traveling from Saudi Arabia to Qatar, Trump said that Russia President Putin wanted Trump to attend the talks in Turkey, though Trump remained noncommittal on attending, citing his schedule and foreign trip obligations.

"He would like me to be there, and that's a possibility. If we could end the war, I'd be thinking about that," Trump said.

President Donald Trump listens to questions as he speaks to members of the press on Air Force One while flying over Saudi Arabia on his way to Qatar on May 14, 2025.

"Well I don't know if he's showing up," Trump said when asked what would happen if Putin doesn't attend those talks.

Trump declined to comment on what he thought of Putin's handling of the negotiations with Ukraine, saying that he could respond to that question in a few days.

Shortly after arriving in Doha and being welcomed by Qatari Emir Diwan, Trump said there would be "pretty good news" coming out of the Russia-Ukraine talks "today and maybe tomorrow and maybe Friday."

– ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart and Justin Gomez

The Democratic National Committee plans to fly a plane pulling a sky banner that says "Qatar-a-Lago" over Mar-a-Lago -- Trump's estate in Palm Beach, Florida -- on Wednesday, ABC News has learned exclusively.

It's flying a plane to protest a plane – specifically to protest the Trump administration's plans to accept a jet from Qatar as well as the Trump family's business deals in the Gulf, amid Trump's high-profile visit to Qatar on Wednesday.

The Trump administration is preparing to accept a super luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from the royal family of Qatar, ABC News reported on Sunday. In a social media post Sunday night, Trump confirmed his administration was preparing to accept the aircraft, calling it a "very public and transparent transaction" with the Defense Department. Separately, Trump will arrive in Qatar just two weeks after his son Eric Trump inked a deal to develop a $5.5 billion golf club north of Doha.

An aerial view shows former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home after Trump said that FBI agents searched it, in Palm Beach, Fla. Aug. 15, 2022.

"Donald Trump is using the presidency to personally enrich himself while he bankrupts working families. His corruption is a slap in the face to the millions of Americans who are struggling to get by and put food on the table," DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement.

"Today, the DNC is highlighting what foreign autocracies around the world already know: Trump has no loyalty to the American people, national security, or the Constitution -- his only allegiance is to his bank account and his billionaire buddies," Martin continued. "Whether it's billionaires at home or governments abroad, Trump won't hesitate to sell out America's working families to the highest bidder."

Trump on Monday defended the administration's plans to accept the jet, calling it a "great gesture" and saying he doesn't plan to use the plane after he leaves office; the White House has said the plane will be accepted in compliance with the law. Trump and the White House have also repeatedly and forcefully denied that his private business interests amount to a conflict of interest.

-ABC News' Oren Oppenheim

In his final open remarks during his time in Riyadh, President Donald Trump echoed his calls for a nuclear deal with Iran and again touted his closeness with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

"The whole world is watching the Middle East, and many are watching with envy," Trump said. "You have something very special going on. Incredible opportunities are within reach for this region, if we can simply stop the aggression from a small group of pretty bad actors."

President Donald Trump addresses a meeting with Gulf leaders of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 14, 2025.

Trump accused former President Joe Biden of having turned his "back on the Gulf allies," but said that has changed.

"Those days are over," he said. "Everybody at this table knows where my loyalties lie -- always have. They'll never waver, never, and we'll stand with our friends and partners, and we'll confront the aggression that threatens us all."

Trump called for fellow leaders to enforce sanctions and secondary sanctions on Iranian oil that his administration has placed over the past few months, while pressing for a new nuclear deal.

"I want to make a deal with Iran," he said.

"I want to do something if it's possible, but for that to happen, it must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars, and permanently and verifiably cease its pursuit of nuclear weapons. They cannot have a nuclear weapon."

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart

The White House said President Donald Trump met with interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during his visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also attended the meeting, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joining by phone, the White House readout said.

Trump told Sharaa -- who took power in December after a coalition of rebel groups toppled former President Bashar al-Assad -- that he has "a tremendous opportunity to do something historic in his country" following the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria, the readout said.

Their meeting was the first between American and Syrian heads of state since 2000, when President Bill Clinton met President Hafez al-Assad -- Bashar's father -- in Geneva, Switzerland. Syria has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism by the U.S. since 1979.

Tuesday's meeting is a coup for Sharaa. Until late December, he was still subject to a U.S. $10 million bounty due to his leadership of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Islamist militant group, which remains a designated terrorist organization in the U.S. HTS was at the forefront of the rebel offensive that forced Assad to cede power and flee to Russia.

Trump urged Sharaa to normalize relations with Israel via the Abraham Accords series of agreements that began during Trump's first term, eject all foreign terrorists -- including Palestinian groups -- from Syria, assist in preventing the regional resurgence of ISIS and assume responsibility for all ISIS detentions centers in the northeast of the country.

Sharaa thanked the other leaders for the meeting and also "recognized the significant opportunity presented by the Iranians leaving Syria, as well as shared U.S.-Syrian interests in countering terrorism and eliminating chemical weapons," the White House said.

"Sharaa concluded with his hope that Syria would serve as a critical link in facilitating trade between east and west, and invited American companies to invest in Syrian oil and gas," the White House said. The Russia-Ukraine war and the war in Gaza were also discussed, it added.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared a photo on X showing Trump, Sharaa and Salman together.

-ABC News' Alex Ederson and Michelle Stoddart

President Donald Trump is expected to meet on Wednesday with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, according to the White House.

President Donald Trump speaks during the Saudi-U.S. investment forum at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center in Riyadh on May 13, 2025.

"The President will do a pull aside with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa ahead of the GCC Summit this morning," the White House said, using an acronym for the Gulf Cooperation Council summit, which is underway in Saudi Arabia.

The Syrian president, a former rebel leader, came to power as the country’s interim leader after the fall of President Bashar Assad in December. He was appointed president in January.

-ABC News’ Alex Ederson

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has fired two of the top members of the National Intelligence Council, a spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) confirmed to ABC News.

Acting Chair Mike Collins of the National Intelligence Council (NIC) and Deputy Chair Maria Langan-Riekhof were both fired.

President Trump Participates In National Day Of Prayer Event At White House

In addition, Gabbard is transferring the National Intelligence Council from its current placement under the CIA to her office -- a move first reported by Fox News.

Collins served 28 years in the intelligence community, beginning as a career analyst before serving as chief of staff to the CIA’s deputy director and later as the CIA's chief strategy officer.

Langan-Riekhof was appointed in 2019 under the Trump administration as director of the Strategic Futures Group at the NIC. She spent 33 years in the intelligence community, serving in both the CIA and NIC. She was honored as one of the DNI’s "Exceptional Analysts" in 2008-09.

An ODNI spokesperson told ABC News on Tuesday, "The Director is working alongside President Trump to end the weaponization and politicization of the Intelligence Community."

Last month, Gabbard announced on social media she had “referred two intelligence community LEAKS to the Department of Justice for criminal referral, with a third criminal referral on its way, which includes the recent illegal leak to the Washington Post.”

Gabbard also warned the intelligence community that alleged leakers would “be held accountable under the full force of the law.”

Gabbard said in April that an additional 11 people remain under investigation.

-ABC News' Beatrice Peterson

The Trump administration filed an emergency request with the Supreme Court on Tuesday for permission to immediately deport 23 alleged members of Tren de Aragua.

The Department of Homeland Security alleges that 23 TdA members barricaded themselves in the Bluebonnet Detention facility in Texas, threatened to take hostages and injure ICE agents and staff.

Court documents filed with the Supreme Court include a declaration from acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Field Director Joshua Johnson, who alleges the detainees covered up surveillance cameras and blocked housing windows.

The detainees, DHS alleges, should be deported immediately.

On Monday, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to deport 176 Venezuelans detained at the Texas facility and it is unclear if these are part of that group.

-ABC News' Luke Barr