President Donald Trump has been very active in the Middle East in the early days of his second administration.
In addition to hitting Iran’s nuclear sites, he is trying to broker peace between Israel and Iran, as well as Israel and Hamas.
Trump has also made some significant pivots regarding Syria, setting the table for the most consequential presidency in modern history in terms of the Middle East.
Trump just made a huge pivot regarding Syria, lifting sanctions and giving its new leader, a “former” alleged terrorist, his blessing.
The president was very complimentary of Ahmed al-Sharaa, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stating, "This is another promise made and promise kept by this president."
She continued, "He’s committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbors."
This is a big move by Trump, but if it pays off, we could have peace throughout the Middle East, which would be a monumental achievement, and something that may finally get Trump the Nobel Peace Prize he so clearly desires.
Last month, Trump brokered what he thought was a ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran, only to have the deal broken within 24 hours.
The next day, however, both countries agreed to stop attacking and start working on a peace deal.
Iran has no more leverage with its nuclear facilities having been taken out, and Israel has no desire to continue bombing now that its objective to stop Iran from having a nuclear weapon has been achieved.
Trump touted the efforts of both countries, stating, “They have so much to gain, and yet, so much to lose if they stray from the road of RIGHTEOUSNESS & TRUTH. The future for Israel & Iran is UNLIMITED, & filled with great PROMISE. GOD BLESS YOU BOTH!”
For the United States, the end of the Israel-Hamas war means no more spending money to defend another nation, so it behooves Trump to work out a peace deal, as the United States is a major contributor to Israel’s defense systems.
On Tuesday, Trump announced that Israel had accepted his terms for a 60-day ceasefire, and it was now up to Hamas to do the same, with the understanding that both sides would come to the table during those 60 days to work out a final agreement.
According to Trump, Hamas will make its decision soon, stating, “We’ll see what happens, we are going to know over the next 24 hours.”
Trump has the ultimate goal of expanding his Abraham Accords agreements, part of his foreign policy legacy from the first administration. I would love to see Trump succeed, as the Middle East has been a money pit for the United States ever since 9/11. If we really want to chip away at our national debt, this is a great place to start.