Trump's Middle East Strategy: A Focus on Gulf Partners, Not Israel, Says Former Advisor

UAE, the Middle East and The World 🌎 ; EXPLORED & EXPLAINED. Former US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan offers a revealing look into President Trump's Middle East strategy. In a recent interview with The National's Manus Cranny, Sullivan highlighted Trump's decision to engage with Gulf states as a priority over Israel, a move he interprets as a strategic choice to foster peace and economic development. "One of the things that really stood out to me was President Trump basically said: 'I'm not entering the Middle East through Israel, I'm entering through the Gulf because I see in these Gulf leaders, partners for peace'," Sullivan explained. This approach, Sullivan suggests, reflects Trump's focus on achieving tangible results through economic growth and de-escalation of conflicts, rather than focusing on traditional alliances. The interview also delves into the potential implications of this strategy for the US-Israel relationship and the broader regional dynamics. Sullivan's analysis provides valuable context for understanding the complexities of US foreign policy in the Middle East. The interview concludes with Sullivan's observation that Trump's message to Israel is essentially: "You do what you're doing, and I'm not going to stop you, but I'm going to do my own thing." This underscores the nuanced and independent nature of Trump's Middle East policy.