In Part 01, we learned about Donald Trump, his political comeback and how he practised his legendary dealmaking in the Middle East. We concluded by briefly assessing his interactions with regional players, particularly the Houthis of Yemen and HTS, who are currently governing war-torn Syria. We continue the regional assessment.
Iran: Its nuclear program is a real worry, and while negotiation has been the understandably chosen method of dealing with it, Iran appears to be running down the clock until Trump is out of office. The Islamic Republic insists that its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. But why does a nation that has ten per cent of the world’s oil reserves need a nuclear energy program? And if it is only for peaceful purposes, why do they insist on enriching uranium themselves rather than accepting enriched uranium from a second country?
So, Trump, the master negotiator, chose to negotiate with Iran directly. It did not work. So after many years of military planning, Israel launched the Twelve-Day War in June 2025 against Iran’s nuclear facilities. America launched a single and stunningly successful raid on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities, which, along with Israel’s, set back the Iranian nuclear program by years.
Qatar: This underpopulated Gulf Sheikhdom is drowning in cash, and they are using it to buy influence. It has been estimated that they have invested USD 100 billion in the US alone. They also built and paid for a US military base, plus they are now one of the top contributors to Trump’s ‘Invest in the USA' campaign.
But Qatar is heavily influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), the oldest and largest Islamist group in the world. Qatar heavily supports the Palestinian branch of the MB, namely Hamas. They are home to the media outlet Al Jazeera, which has a broad reach. The network has been accused of being political activists disguised as journalists, advocating Islamism in their Arabic language broadcasts while conveying a moderate stance in English.
General Arab Reactions: Some say that America is walking into the Middle East trap; others, like Hamas, claim de facto recognition by America because of direct negotiations over the Israeli hostages. Others say he is unintentionally aiding and abetting Islamists. The Houthis see Trump’s direct deal with them as a green light to continued attacks on Israel. Nirvana Mahmoud said, ‘Trump may go down in history as the American President who empowered Islamism around the globe, more than any other president in the history of the USA.’ On the other hand, Trump’s instincts and experience may prove resistant to the flattery and seductions of the Middle East.
Reaction of the Israelis: In his first term of office (2017-2021), Donald Trump was considered the most pro-Israel of all US Presidents. He moved the American Embassy to Jerusalem; he recognised Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights; he held the Palestinian Authority to account for how they used donated money. Trump consistently supported Israel diplomatically and economically. The grand achievement was the Abraham Peace Accords of 2020 between Israel and four Arab countries: Bahrain, the UAE, Sudan, and Morocco. By all measures, this was a masterful achievemen,t. Until now, Trump has been an energetic warrior against anti-Semitism and backs his words with action.
All this was part of his first term. In the second term, there were question marks over Trump’s fidelity to the Jewish state. But his bombing of Iran’s underground nuclear facilities, brokering an Israel-Hamas - Hamas international ceasefire, and the freeing of the last of the twenty living hostages have earned for Trump Israel’s undying gratitude.
Understanding Trump’s attitude towards war and peace: Despite the perception that Trump is erratic and unpredictable, his transparency and consistency say otherwise. Here are a few points:
- Trump hates war and killing: In his first term, no new wars were started. He is eager to get ceasefires in Ukraine and the Middle East so the killing will stop. That is also why he chose to negotiate with Iran over its nuclear program, hoping to come up with a settlement. He does not want to be needlessly drawn into a war in the Middle East. Yet he is not afraid to show strength and restraint, as he did when bombing Iran - a strong but limited military action.
- Trump the deal-maker: He would rather talk than fight, that’s why he dealt directly with North Korean leader Kim Jung Un, Russian president Vladimir Putin, and Iran’s foreign minister. His motto: ‘I have no enemies,’ meaning he will talk to anyone.
- America First Agenda: A fierce opponent of globalism, Donald Trump will do what he believes is best for America. Every nation has vital interests that are not totally identical, even with friends like the US and Israel; hence, the different approaches to Iran. For example, Israel wanted to take military action against Iran long before the Twelve-Day War of June 2025; Trump wanted to negotiate first, even though there was pessimism about its effectiveness.
- Goodwill: Trump may have strong opinions and a sharp tongue, but he has publicly said he wants to see prosperity in Gaza (minus Hamas), Iran (minus nuclear weapons), and Syria (minus Assad).
Trump’s American-First MAGA supporters do not want to get involved in Middle East affairs, wars, and nation-building. While it is important to adhere to a robust domestic agenda that meets the legitimate concerns of the electorate, Trump also understands that the unsolvable conflict must be deftly managed with statecraft of the highest order. Otherwise, the entire world could be staring in the faces of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.
If you are a praying person, then pray for international leadership (1 Timothy 2:1-4) to be uncorrupted, wise, discerning, and courageous, bringing stability and deterrence in the Lord’s land and region.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ (Matthew 5:9).
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