President Trump’s Middle East Trip Drives Record Week for Commerce Department’s Commercial Advocacy and Diplomacy Programs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 6, 2025
Contact: Office of Public Affairs
Email: publicaffairs@trade.gov
Phone: 202-482-3809

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced that its commercial advocacy program—and broader commercial diplomacy efforts spearheaded by the International Trade Administration (ITA)—delivered the most successful week in its 31-year history, driven by President Donald J. Trump’s historic mission to the Middle East and the Administration’s focus on advancing American commercial leadership abroad. 

“When America puts American workers first, the world puts American workers first, which is exactly what we saw with the deals in the Middle East,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. “America is driving global innovation. As we reshore advanced manufacturing, our strategic partners in the Middle East are eager to do business with us.” 

American companies and workers are the most competitive in the world. Yet too often, they face unfair competition from foreign state-backed firms. President Trump and Secretary Lutnick, working with U.S. allies and partners, are reversing this trend by securing strategic, high-value wins for U.S. industry.

During the week of May 12, 2025, through the efforts of the President, Secretary Lutnick, and U.S. government officials working in close coordination, ITA’s Advocacy Center confirmed signed contracts totaling $81.9 billion, supporting an estimated 298,000 American jobs. These single-week results surpass the average annual value of commercial wins supported during each of the past four fiscal years under the Biden Administration, which averaged $57.2 billion in contract value. 

The deals finalized in May span a wide range of sectors, including commercial aviation, defense systems, oil and gas infrastructure, as well as power generation equipment. Many of the wins came through competitive government tenders where U.S. firms prevailed due to their superior technology, service, and performance—reinforced by sustained, strategic advocacy and support from ITA’s teams in Washington, D.C. and at Embassies and Consulates around the globe.

The U.S. Commercial Service and its roster of seasoned trade professionals played a critical role delivering these outcomes. From early-stage business development and in-country troubleshooting in foreign markets to high-level commercial diplomacy, these officers work alongside the Advocacy Center, bureau leadership and staff, Ambassadors, and the interagency colleagues to produce results daily for American businesses.

The Advocacy Center was established in 1993 to support U.S. companies facing unfair foreign competition, particularly in foreign government procurements. Its mission is to ensure American firms are evaluated based on the merits of their proposals and not disadvantaged by state subsidies, coercive financing, or anti-competitive practices. 

Every successful advocacy campaign is uniquely tailored to fit the specific contract and case—ranging from daily engagement with company leaders to high-level government advocacy including U.S. Ambassadors, the Secretary of Commerce, and the President. Once a project is vetted and approved, the Advocacy Center team works closely with the company, U.S. diplomats abroad, and other interagency partners to develop and carry out an effective advocacy strategy. This model was on full display in May during President Trump and Secretary Lutnick’s commercial diplomacy engagements in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. 

Preliminary agreements signed during the Middle East trip are expected to generate tens of billions of dollars in additional contract wins in the coming months, further advancing the Administration’s strategy to secure U.S. industrial leadership, expand exports, and support American jobs.
 

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About the International Trade Administration
The International Trade Administration (ITA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce is the premier U.S. Government resource for American companies competing in the global marketplace. Operating in more than 100 U.S. locations and 80 markets worldwide, ITA promotes trade and investment, assists U.S. businesses and workers to export and expand globally, and ensures fair trade and compliance by enforcing U.S. trade laws and agreements. For more information on ITA, visit www.trade.gov.