Trump’s Big Middle East Push Stalls as Israel-Syria Clashes Spark Doubts!
Trump hosts Gulf leaders to boost economic ties, but new violence in Syria clouds his Middle East peace pledge.
President Donald Trump welcomed Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to the White House on Wednesday, aiming to strengthen ties with Gulf allies amid renewed violence between Israel and Syria that threatens his promise of Middle East peace.
In an Oval Office meeting with the Bahraini crown prince, followed by a private dinner with Qatar’s prime minister, Trump emphasized economic cooperation over resolving the region’s conflicts, such as the ongoing war in Gaza. “Anything they needed, we helped them, and anything we needed, they helped us,” Trump said during his meeting with Al Khalifa. The Gulf, a wealthy region with deep business ties to Trump’s family, has been a focal point of his second term’s foreign policy, including a recent trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
Bahrain highlighted the economic benefits of its U.S. partnership, announcing $17 billion in investments, including deals for American airplanes, jet engines, and computer servers. “This is real money. These aren’t fake deals,” Al Khalifa said. Additional investments in aluminum production and artificial intelligence are under consideration, and a new agreement to advance civilian nuclear energy cooperation was signed. Bahrain, home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, expects its king to visit Washington later this year.
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Qatar’s visit follows Trump’s tour of its lavish palaces and the Al Udeid Air Base, a critical U.S. military hub recently targeted by an Iranian ballistic missile after U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Trump’s interest in using a Qatar-donated Boeing 747 as Air Force One has raised ethical and security concerns about accepting such a gift from a foreign government.
The meetings come as violence in Syria, sparked by clashes between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze factions in the south, prompted Israeli strikes on Damascus. A fragile ceasefire was announced, but its stability remains uncertain. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, present during Trump’s meeting with Al Khalifa, described the conflict as “an unfortunate situation and a misunderstanding,” expressing hope for de-escalation to aid Syria’s rebuilding efforts.
Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East adviser to both Democratic and Republican administrations, noted Trump’s affinity for the Gulf’s stability and wealth. “It’s rich, it’s stable, it’s populated by authoritarians with whom the president feels very comfortable,” he said. However, Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, warned of growing unpredictability due to Israel’s aggressive actions, which have weakened regional foes like Hezbollah and Iran but lack a clear strategy to address Iran’s nuclear program and its support for groups like the Houthis.
With little progress on Middle East peace, Trump’s focus on economic deals with Gulf allies underscores his approach, but ongoing violence and unresolved tensions continue to challenge his administration’s ambitions.
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