Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Joins Trump’s High-Profile Saudi Arabia Lunch
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is making international headlines again. This time, he’s attending a high-profile lunch in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with former President Donald Trump, tech giants, and business leaders.
Suarez: The Only Sitting U.S. Official on the Guest List
The 32-person guest list includes heavyweights like Elon Musk (Tesla), Stephen Schwarzman (BlackRock), Andy Jassy (Amazon), and Sam Altman (OpenAI). Yet, Francis Suarez stands out as the only sitting U.S. elected official invited.
While surprising to some, locals know Suarez has been strengthening ties with Saudi Arabia for years. His efforts focus on U.S.-Saudi economic partnerships, despite criticism of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
Saudi–U.S. Investment Forum: Suarez Takes the Stage
On top of the lunch, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is also a speaker at the Saudi–U.S. Investment Forum. This event gathers American and Saudi investors to explore opportunities in sectors like energy, technology, healthcare, and infrastructure.
Notably, the forum highlights Saudi Arabia’s push for economic diversification, and Suarez is once again front and center.
Suarez’s Ongoing Role in Saudi Business Relations
This is not Suarez’s first rodeo with Saudi officials. He’s been a regular at Saudi events, including:
- The Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute conference (three consecutive years).
- International MICE Summit (virtually in December 2024).
- Esports World Cup closing ceremony (August 2024).
Earlier this year, Suarez helped announce the opening of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment office in Miami, further cementing the city’s role in the kingdom’s global business strategy.
Critics Point to Conflicts of Interest
Despite his appearances as Miami’s mayor, Suarez also works at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, a law firm representing Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). This overlap has raised ethical concerns, especially when Suarez uses his official position to promote Saudi interests.
Miami’s Global Business Ambitions
For Suarez, these ties are part of his broader vision to position Miami as a global business hub. By aligning with Saudi investors, he aims to attract new economic opportunities for the city.
More…
