As Donald Trump’s Strait of Hormuz blockade drags on, Arab Gulf allies are quietly recalculating the cost of staying in Washington’s camp. With the UAE hinting at a pivot towards the yuan and a second Arab nation leaning closer to China’s Xi Jinping, pressure on Trump to pay for war damages and economic losses is mounting. At the same time, Xi’s call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – urging that Hormuz remain open and backing a U.S.–Iran ceasefire – signals Beijing’s growing role in Gulf security. Are Trump’s Arab partnerships now at breaking point, and are key U.S. allies preparing to switch sides in the next Middle East power realignment?