Juan Cole

Juan Cole, a leading historian from the University of Michigan and founder of Informed Comment, joins to dissect Trump's sweeping changes in Middle Eastern policy. They discuss how Trump has distanced himself from Israel while forging ties with Gulf monarchies. Cole highlights the chaos intertwined with billion-dollar deals and back-channel diplomacy in the region. The conversation also touches on the implications of U.S. sanctions on Syria, potential corruption in Trump's dealings, and the nuances of a shifting U.S. foreign policy landscape.