Trump’s motivations are often unclear, but the recent U.S. bombing campaign on Yemen was clearly meant to stop Ansar Allah’s attacks on Red Sea shipping — and to send a message to Iran.
The Trump administration’s direct negotiations with Hamas have broken precedent and angered Israel. Envoy Adam Boehler defended them to CNN saying the U.S. is “not an agent of Israel,” but how much daylight exists between the allies?
While Israel and the United States are working together on a plan for Gaza, they have slightly different interests. This gap is opening space for regional Arab leaders to propose an alternative vision that avoids full-scale ethnic cleansing.
As the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire comes to an end it is clear the Trump White House has no substantive policy for the region. Israel is filling that vacuum with perpetual war.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s first trip to the Middle East made clear that Donald Trump is driving U.S. policy and largely adopting Israel’s belligerent stance in Gaza and Iran. The question remains whether the rest of the region can stop them.
Arab leaders face increasing pressure from the White House to support the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. As they prepare an alternative proposal for Gaza it seems unlikely they can satisfy both Trump and their own citizens.
Even though Donald Trump’s call for the U.S. to “own” the Gaza Strip is completely infeasible, there is a real danger he may take steps to pursue this idea, which will be extremely destructive.
Donald Trump has brought back a plan to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from Gaza that was pushed by the Biden administration and the Israeli far right. Although these plans have been rebuffed so far, there are signs Trump might be more successful.
Some are hoping for a great “Trump effect” on U.S. policy toward Palestine after his envoy brokered the Gaza ceasefire. But Trump was only operating out of self-interest, and these same interests will lead him right back to full support for Israel.
A ceasefire deal to finally stop the genocide in Gaza and bring about an exchange of captives appears to be at hand, but many questions remain. Among them is the role the incoming Trump administration played and what this says for his policy in the region.