Middle East Focus Deals, Diplomacy, and Day-After Plans: The Trump Administration's Middle East Strategy
Jul 10, 2025
Mara Rudman, a MEI Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow and former senior advisor in the Clinton and Obama administrations, joins the discussion to dissect the Trump administration's Middle East strategy. She dives into the complexities of Israel-Hamas negotiations and the future of Gaza, as well as U.S.-Iran nuclear diplomacy. Rudman critiques the administration's transactional approach, highlighting the significance of engaging regional partners and the implications of initiatives like the Abraham Accords on broader peace efforts.
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Transactional Nature of Trump's Policy
- President Trump's Middle East policy is largely transactional, focusing on deals to brand himself as effective.
- His approach may work for some regional players but lacks a broader coherent strategy.
Abraham Accords Built On Past Efforts
- The Abraham Accords build heavily on the efforts of prior U.S. administrations dating back to Clinton and Bush.
- Trump's role is more about credit claiming rather than creating a new framework from scratch.
Transactional Style Appeals Regionally
- Trump's transactional style appeals to Gulf countries and Israel as it avoids lecturing about values.
- However, it is unclear if it serves U.S. national security or economic interests beyond Trump's personal gains.