Steven Cook from the Council on Foreign Relations discusses President Donald Trump's Middle East agenda, noting parallels with Barack Obama's focus on disentangling from foreign conflicts. Cook indicates Trump is aiming for a deal with Iran and may exert pressure on Israel to cease military actions in Gaza before his Gulf trip. He highlights a trust deficit with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, which influences Trump's diplomatic strategy regarding regional conflicts involving Syria and Turkey.
Cook highlights that both President Trump and his predecessor Obama share the desire to disentangle the United States from its foreign conflicts in the Middle East, indicating a strategic continuity in U.S. policy toward the region, albeit with differing approaches to implementation.
According to Cook, Trump is seeking a deal with Iran and may pressure Israel to halt its operations in Gaza to facilitate his planned trip to the Gulf region next month, reflecting an active diplomatic engagement.
The relationship between Trump and Netanyahu is complicated by a trust deficit, with Cook noting that this dynamic underlies Trump's urging of Netanyahu to act reasonably regarding key issues involving Syria and Turkey's Erdogan.
Cook argues that Trump's Middle East agenda reflects a growing intent to reevaluate U.S. involvement in foreign engagements, paralleling Obama's efforts to pivot U.S. foreign policy towards more restrained military engagement.
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