It has been minted to honor a partnership that is stronger
than ever, this historic commemorative coin pays tribute to two leaders, whose
courageous visions continue to reshape the Middle East.
From the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal
capital to the Abraham Accords to a rock-solid commitment to Israel’s defense,
this historic era is defined by bold legacies of leadership and strength.
A portion of proceeds benefits vital Israel charities.
With forums such as the G7 and G20 groups of major economies
hamstrung by divisions and the disruptive "America First" approach
of US President Donald Trump, expansion of the BRICS has opened new space for
diplomatic coordination.
"In the face of the resurgence of protectionism, it is
up to emerging nations to defend the multilateral trade regime and reform the
international financial architecture," Brazilian President Luiz Inacio
Lula da Silva told a BRICS business forum on Saturday.
BRICS nations now represent over half the world's population
and 40% of its economic output.
The
BRICS group gathered leaders from Brazil, Russia, India and China at its first
summit in 2009. The bloc later added South Africa and last year included Egypt,
Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as full
members. This is the first leaders' summit to include Indonesia.
"The vacuum left by others ends up being filled almost
instantly by the BRICS," said a Brazilian diplomat who asked not to be
named. Although the G7 still concentrates vast power, the source added, "It
doesn't have the predominance it once did."
However, there are questions about the shared goals of an
increasingly heterogenous BRICS group, which has grown to include regional
rivals along with major emerging economies.
Stealing some thunder from this year's summit, Chinese
President Xi Jinping chose to send his prime minister in his place. Russian
President Vladimir Putin is attending online due to an arrest warrant
from the International Criminal Court.
Still, many heads of state will gather for discussions at
Rio's Museum of Modern Art on Sunday and Monday, including Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Over 30 nations have expressed interest in participating in
the BRICS, either as full members or partners.
Brazil, which also hosts the United Nations climate summit
in November, has seized on both gatherings to highlight how seriously
developing nations are tackling climate change, while Trump has slammed the
brakes on US climate initiatives.
Both China and the UAE signaled in meetings with
Brazilian Finance Minister Fernando Haddad in Rio that they plan to invest in a
proposed Tropical Forests Forever Facility.
Expansion of the BRICS has added diplomatic weight to the
gathering, which aspires to speak for developing nations across the Global
South, strengthening calls for reforming global institutions such as the United
Nations Security Council and the International Monetary Fund.
The growth of the bloc has also increased the challenges
to reaching consensus on contentious geopolitical issues.
Ahead of the summit, negotiators struggled to find shared
language for a joint statement about the bombardment of Gaza, the
Israel-Iran conflict and a proposed reform of the Security Council.
To overcome differences among African nations regarding the
continent's proposed representative to a reformed Security Council, the group
agreed to endorse seats for Brazil and India while leaving open which country
should represent Africa's interests, a person familiar with the talks told
Reuters.
The BRICS will also continue their thinly veiled criticism
of Trump's US tariff policy. At an April ministerial meeting, the bloc
expressed concern about "unjustified unilateral protectionist measures,
including the indiscriminate increase of reciprocal tariffs."
The White House said the administration would continue to monitor Syria's progress on key priorities including "taking concrete steps toward normalizing ties with Israel, addressing foreign terrorists, deporting Palestinian terrorists and banning Palestinian terrorist groups."
The move will allow the US to maintain sanctions on Syria's
ousted former president Bashar al-Assad, his associates, human rights abusers,
drug traffickers, people linked to chemical weapons activities, the Islamic
State and ISIS affiliates and proxies for Iran, White House spokeswoman
Karoline Leavitt told reporters in a briefing.
Assad was toppled in December 2024 in a lightning offensive
by Islamist-led rebels and Syria has since taken steps to re-establish
international ties.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said Trump's
termination of the Syria sanctions program would "open door of
long-awaited reconstruction and development."
He said the move would "lift the obstacle" against
economic recovery and open the country to the international community.
Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Trump met in Riyadh in
May where, in a major policy shift, Trump unexpectedly announced he would lift
US sanctions on Syria, prompting Washington to significantly ease its
measures.
Some in Congress are pushing for the measures to be totally
repealed, while Europe has announced the end of its economic sanctions regime.
"Syria needs to be given a chance, and that's what's
happened," US Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack told reporters in a
briefing call. He described Monday's move as "the culmination of a very
tedious, detailed, excruciating process of, how do you unwrap these
sanctions."
The White House in a fact sheet said the order directs the
Secretary of State to review the terrorism designations of Hayat Tahrir
al-Sham, a rebel group that Sharaa led that has roots in al Qaeda, as well as
Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Yes, long before his ascendance to the White House, Trump
had managed to paint him as a peacemaker, promising to end America’s “endless
wars.” But most people in the United States of Amnesia seem to have forgotten
that during his first four-year tenure in the White House Trump embarked on a
dangerous path with a series of reckless foreign policy decisions that
threatened peace and made the world a far more dangerous place.
Trump walked away from an Iran deal and withdrew from
the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty and the Open
Skies Treaty while US air wars became broader and “increasingly
indiscriminate.”
Iraq, Somalia, and Syria were among the countries that
Trump loosened the rules of engagement for US forces. Trump also
ordered the killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani and threatened “fire
and fury” against North Korea.
In addition, Trump increased tensions between Israelis and
Palestinians by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moving
the US embassy there from Tel Aviv.
The president of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas
said at the time that Trump’s decision undermined all peace efforts and called
his actions “a crime,” while the political leader of the Hamas movement, Ismail
Haniya, who was assassinated by the Israeli Mossad in Tehran on July 31, 2024,
called for a new “intifada.”
Shortly upon assuming the Office of the President of the
United States for the second time, Trump embarked on a jingoistic journey by
threatening to take over Greenland (an idea he had floated back in 2019), make
Canada the 51st state, reclaim the Panama Canal, and attack Mexico. And
just as he had done during his first term in office, he withdrew the US from
the landmark Paris climate agreement, even though the climate crisis is an
existential one and is expected to increase the risk of armed conflict.
Trump reacted sternly to Khamanei's first remarks after a
12-day conflict with Israel that ended when the United States launched bombing
raids last weekend against Iranian nuclear sites.
Khamanei
said Iran "slapped America in the face" by launching an
attack against a major US base in Qatar following the US bombing raids.
Khamanei also said Iran would never surrender.
Trump said he had spared Khamanei's life. US officials told
Reuters on June 15 that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill the
supreme leader.
"His
Country was decimated, his three evil Nuclear Sites were OBLITERATED, and I
knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the US Armed
Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life,"
Trump said in a social media post.
"I
SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH," he said.
Iran said a potential nuclear deal was conditional on the US
ending its "disrespectful tone" toward the Supreme Leader.
"If
President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the
disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader, Grand
Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers,"
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a post on X in the early hours of
Saturday.
Trump also said that in recent days he had been working on
the possible removal of sanctions on Iran to give it a chance for a speedy
recovery. He said he had now abandoned that effort.
"I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and
disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more,"
he said.
Trump said at a White House news conference that he did not
rule out attacking Iran again, when asked about the possibility of new bombing
of Iranian nuclear sites if deemed necessary at some point.
"Sure, without question, absolutely," he said.
Trump said he would like inspectors from the International
Atomic Energy Agency - the UN nuclear watchdog - or another respected
source to be able to inspect Iran's nuclear sites after they were bombed last
weekend.
Trump has rejected any suggestion that damage to the sites
was not as profound as he has said.
The IAEA chief, Rafael Grossi, said on Wednesday that
ensuring the resumption of IAEA inspections was his top priority as none had
taken place since Israel began bombing on June 13.
However,
Iran's parliament approved moves on Wednesday to suspend such inspections.
Araqchi indicated on Friday that Tehran may reject any request by the head of
the agency for visits to Iranian nuclear sites.
In a pair of posts on his Truth Social network, Trump—an
erstwhile New Yorker—called Mamdani "a 100% Communist Lunatic,"
said "we've had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little
ridiculous," and attacked the winner's appearance, voice, intelligence,
and supporters, including Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
"I have an idea for the Democrats to bring them back
into 'play.' After years of being left out in the cold, including suffering one
of the Greatest Losses in History, the 2024 Presidential Election, the
Democrats should nominate Low IQ Candidate, Jasmine Crockett, for
President," Trump wrote of a Democratic Texas congresswoman willing to
call out him and his allies in Congress.
"AOC+3 should be, respectively, Vice President, and
three High Level Members of the Cabinet," Trump continued, referring to
progressive Reps. Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib.
"Added together with our future Communist Mayor of New York City, Zohran
Mamdani, and our Country is really screwed!"
Critics of Trump took the comments as a clear signal that
the second-term president is scared of Mamdani and other progressive political
leaders fighting for policies that would improve the lives of working people.
"Trump attacking Mamdani is basically an endorsement at
this point," wrote a Bluesky user called The Vivlia.
Georgia state Rep. Ruwa Romman—known nationally as the
Palestinian American barred from speaking at last year's Democratic
National Convention—said: "...is Trump jealous of Zohran? The focus of his
posts is... something."
In an opinion piece published by Common Dreams before
Trump's afternoon comments, political organizer Corbin Trent wrote that
Mamdani beat disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo "by acknowledging what
everyone already knows—life has become unaffordable—and saying we're going to
build our way out of it. Housing that teachers can afford. Transit that
actually works. Childcare centers so parents don't have to choose between
working and raising their kids. And that the ultrawealthy are going to pay
their fair share."
Trent argued that other Democrats, and especially the party
leadership, have much to learn from Mamdani—both in style and substance—if they
want to win back voters who have gravitated to Trump and his right-wing MAGA
worldview.
"Mamdani hasn't even been elected yet," Trent
noted. "But he's shown us how to stop lying about what needs fixing. He's
shown that you can win by promising to build for everyone, not just
donors."
The frustration comes after fresh violence erupted just
hours into the ceasefire. Iran launched two missiles at northern Israel,
prompting Defense Minister Israel Katz to authorize immediate retaliatory
strikes on Tehran. In response, Trump expressed outrage over Israel’s rapid air
assault, reportedly the most intense bombing campaign yet.
“I’m not happy with Israel,” Trump admitted. “You don’t go
out in the first hour and drop everything you have on [them].” He added, “I
gotta get Israel to calm down now,” before warning that the scale of the
strikes exceeded anything previously witnessed.
While
Trump insisted he was equally unhappy with Iran, his focus was on halting
Israel’s response. He announced plans to travel to Israel to personally
intervene and prevent the conflict from reigniting. “I’m gonna see if I can
stop it,” he told reporters.
On social media, Trump doubled down, writing: “Israel is not
going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a
friendly 'Plane Wave' to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect.”
Despite his demands, Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly
held firm during a phone call with Trump, insisting that a retaliatory strike
was still “necessary.”
Ultimately, Israeli officials agreed to scale back their
response to a single target in Tehran a compromise that maintains deterrence
while keeping diplomatic lines open.
Trump’s remarks come at a critical juncture. With the
ceasefire already showing signs of collapse, and international attention focused
on Jerusalem and Tehran, Israel continues to act within its right to defend
itself while weighing the diplomatic costs of continued escalation.
In a statement posted on his social media platform, Trump
said the ceasefire would begin in approximately six hours, following the
completion of final military operations by both sides.
“Iran will start the ceasefire, and upon the 12th hour,
Israel will follow suit,” Trump said, adding that an “official end” to the
hostilities will be marked at the 24th hour.
He praised both nations for showing “stamina, courage, and
intelligence” in choosing to end the conflict.
The announcement follows days of escalating military
exchanges between Israel and Iran that raised fears of a broader regional war.
Trump hailed the ceasefire as a moment the world would salute, urging all
parties to remain “peaceful and respectful.”
“This is a war that could have gone on for years, and
destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t—and never will,” Trump stated.
Israel said 200 fighter jets took part in strikes
on more than 100 targets in Iran overnight in an escalation that
threatens to spark a wider conflict in the Middle East.
Israel said Iran has launched more than 100 drones towards
Israel in response - but Tehran has denied these reports, according to Iranian
media.
"I think it's been excellent,” Trump told ABC
News, adding there is “a lot more” to come.
Negotiations between Washington and Tehran over restrictions
to Iran’s nuclear operations have stalled in recent weeks.
In a lengthy Truth Social post earlier, Trump said he “gave
a chance” to Iran to make a deal but that they “couldn’t get it done”. It is
unclear whether further talks due to take place in Oman on Sunday will go
ahead.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed its chief,
General Hossein Salami, was killed in the attack. Chief of staff of the armed
forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri and at least two nuclear scientists were
also killed.
“Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left. No
more death, no more destruction, just do it, before it is too late,” Trump
added.
US president Donald Trump told the Wall Street Journal on
Friday that he and his team had known about Israel's plans to attack Iran.
The Wall Street Journal said that when asked what kind of a
heads-up the United States received before the attack, Trump said in a brief
phone interview, "Heads-up? It wasn’t a heads-up. It was, we know what's
going on."
Trump said he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu on Thursday and planned to speak with him again on Friday. Trump
called the operation "a very successful attack, to put it mildly,"
the Wall Street Journal said.
Donald Trump is a national embarrassment. Corporate media
pundits have declared this statement to be true and millions of people are in
agreement. As a candidate and as president Trump has certainly deviated from
the norms of acceptable public behavior, but how much does that really matter?
Many Americans love to brag that theirs is “the richest
country in the world.” There are certainly big banks, rich individuals and
trillions of dollars in the treasury but the masses of people rarely benefit
from this wealth. This country routinely ranks near the bottom when compared to
other “developed” nations in any measure of how it treats its people. It is now
considered a “second tier” nation in terms of the wellbeing of its citizens.
It is certainly unusual to have such a decidedly boorish
president. Trump literally pushes other presidents aside, engages in public
feuds with celebrities and makes anyone an enemy who dares to oppose him or his
policies. He makes up terms like “bigly” and “modern presidential” and
excoriates the press when they criticize him. Condemning this kind of behavior
is the lowest hanging fruit.
Trump can be blamed for quite a lot during his first six
months in office. His travel ban against citizens of seven nations is an
unconstitutional exercise in Islamphobia and has been struck down by federal
judges. Trump bans Libyans from traveling to the United States, but Obama
destroyed that country and created an ongoing humanitarian disaster.
The concluding remarks are most interesting, “The list of
reasons to be embarrassed about America is very long and it existed before
Trump was inaugurated. He has surely added to that ledger, but legitimate cause
for concern shouldn’t be pushed aside in favor of phony outrage about optics.
President Trump is an ill- mannered, impulsive, happily uninformed bigot. Most
of his predecessors were better behaved and followed rules of public relations.
But they filled the jails, ended the right to public assistance, killed
millions of people abroad, kept wages low and used a variety of schemes to make
the rich even richer. Despite his obvious shortcomings Donald Trump is not the
worst among them. And that is the most embarrassing fact of all”.
“The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper
security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for
an aircraft used to transport the President of the United States,” he added.
The Qatari gift was also raised at President Trump’s meeting
with South Africa’s president at the White House on Wednesday. Trump shot down
the question and pushed back on the reporter who asked about criticism
around the jet.
Trump last week said he would accept the US$400 million luxury
Boeing 747-8, previously used by the Qatari royal family, as a stand-in for the
aging Air Force One fleet.
The plane — which is one of the largest foreign gifts
ever accepted by a US president — has been criticized by US lawmakers on
both sides of the aisle, who say it raises both ethical and security questions.
Numerous Republicans have argued that the purportedly free
jet comes with strings, given it will need to go through the lengthy and
expensive process of being transformed into Air Force One.
Others have raised safety concerns about the jet,
including a group of senior Democratic senators led by Sen. Adam Schiff,
who want the Pentagon’s watchdog to look into the Defense
Department’s acceptance of the gifted plane and its role in the transfer.
Trump has defended his decision to accept the jet, arguing
it is legal and dismissing the bipartisan criticism as a “radical
left story.”
Boeing has had a contract with the US government since Trump’s
first term in 2018 to replace its pair of aging Air Force Ones, two military
versions of the Boeing 747. The delivery of the aircraft has been delayed until
at least 2027, a timeline Trump has latched onto in arguing the Qatari jet
could serve as an interim plane.
But the gifted aircraft from Qatar would face a retrofit
that could take years to complete and cost hundreds of millions of dollars,
with new power systems, electrical wiring and other technology for secure
communications and self-defense needed.
Within a single week, Australia, Singapore, and
Canada—despite their geographic and cultural differences—held critical
elections. All three countries delivered remarkably similar outcomes: victories
for incumbent parties that campaigned on strong opposition to Trump’s tariff
threats and his transactional approach to global alliances.
Although foreign policy typically plays a minor role in
national elections, this time was different. Voters went beyond domestic issues
to send a clear message: they reject Trump's combative trade tactics and
support leaders who are willing to stand up to them.
The broader takeaway from these elections is the emergence
of a new political consensus among America's allies. Public opinion is
coalescing around leaders who oppose Trump’s “America First” doctrine, which
has disrupted global supply chains, strained diplomatic relationships, and
undermined decades of multilateral economic cooperation. This shift signifies
not just electoral continuity, but a popular mandate for resisting a zero-sum
approach to international relations.
In Japan, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s ruling Liberal
Democratic Party faces another electoral test this summer, with elections for
the less powerful—but still influential—upper house of the Diet. Ahead of this,
Japan is eager to secure a trade agreement with the US.
Tokyo is preparing for a third round of tariff negotiations
this month, though analysts remain skeptical about a breakthrough. Unlike Brirain,
which recently secured a limited deal, Japan faces steeper challenges. It
starts from a higher baseline tariff rate and must contend with the Trump
administration’s firm stance on automotive trade—one of Japan’s most vital
export sectors.
On the cybersecurity front, Sergiy Korsunsky, former
Ukrainian ambassador to Japan and now a senior adviser at Nihon Cyber Defence
Corporation, warns that excessive data accumulation poses serious risks in the
age of artificial intelligence.
Diplomatically, Julia Longbottom, the British Ambassador to
Japan, highlights recent British trade deals with India and the United States
as evidence of shared values with Japan—particularly a mutual commitment to
open and free trade.
“I have
concepts for Gaza that I think are very good: Make it a freedom zone. Let the
United States get involved, and make it just a freedom zone,” Trump said during
a business roundtable.
“I’d be proud to have the United States have it, take it,
make it a freedom zone, let some good things happen. Put people in homes where
they can be safe, and Hamas is going to have to be dealt with,” Trump added.
Qatar has played host to periodic ceasefire talks between
Israel and Hamas in an attempt to stop the fighting between the two sides, but
so far negotiations have been at a stalemate as bombings continue.
The president, earlier this year first proposed the idea of
the US taking control of Gaza, which has been devastated by Israeli military
strikes.
Trump has previously suggested Palestinians living in Gaza
would relocate elsewhere in the region while the US rebuilt the strip. He has
brushed off questions about how the US would take over the territory, though he
previously floated that Israel would turn it over at the conclusion of its war
with Gaza.
The idea has drawn pushback from the head of the Palestinian
National Authority, as well as from US allies such as Saudi Arabia.
Abbas Araqchi also confirmed a Reuters report that
the Iranian deputy foreign minister will meet in Istanbul with British, French
and German diplomats on Friday to consult on the parameters of a potential new
nuclear deal being negotiated between Tehran and Washington.
Iranian foreign minister said the fourth round of Iran-US talks
held on May 11 was "difficult" as they focused on the controversial
issue of enrichment, adding he hoped the US side would come with "more
realistic positions" after gaining a better understanding of Iran's
fundamental positions.
A fifth round of talks is to be announced by Oman's foreign
ministry which has acted as mediator since the start of the talks in April.
On the first leg of his Gulf visit in Riyadh, Trump drew a
stark contrast between what he called the "constructive vision" of
Saudi Arabia and the "collapse and suffering" he said had been caused
by Iranian leaders.
Washington has for long accused Tehran of "malign and
destabilizing activity" in the region, including the support of non-state
armed groups such as Yemen's Houthis which fall within the Iran-backed
"Axis of Resistance" to Israel and US influence in the region.
"Unfortunately, this is a very deceptive view. The
Iranian nation pursues the same aspirations toward progress and prosperity as
other regional countries. It is the US with its sanctions and threats which has
blocked Iran's path to progress," Araqchi said.
"Trump turns a blind eye to Israel's crimes and wants
to present Iran as a threat to the region," he said.
Iran's top diplomat explained his recent trip to Saudi
Arabia and Qatar was related to Iran-US nuclear negotiations, saying Tehran
keeps its neighbours informed and seeks a regional understanding regarding a
potential agreement with the US.
"We are very interested in having a regional
understanding regarding these talks and potential agreement that will lead to
increased security and improved regional understanding without the interference
of any foreign country," he said.
Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman was
present at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh to see off President
Trump.
Trump’s visit marked his first official overseas trip during
his second term. He was received at the airport on Tuesday morning by the Crown
Prince, and the two leaders held multiple high-level engagements throughout the
visit.
At Al-Yamamah Palace, Trump and the Crown Prince co-chaired
the Saudi–US Summit, where they signed the Strategic Economic Partnership
between the two governments. The summit addressed bilateral relations and
regional security, and resulted in the exchange of numerous agreements and
memoranda across key sectors including defense, energy, justice, health, space,
and scientific research.
The visit also included the US–Gulf Summit, held in Riyadh,
where Gulf leaders and Trump reaffirmed the strength of US–GCC strategic ties.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman noted that trade between GCC countries and the
US reached nearly US$120 billion in 2024, with the US remaining a vital
commercial partner.
In a diplomatic development, Trump announced the full
removal of US sanctions on Syria and began the process of normalizing relations
with the new Syrian government. The announcement followed a trilateral meeting
hosted by the Crown Prince and attended by Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who joined via phone call. The talks
emphasized Syrian sovereignty, stability, and reconstruction.
Al-Sharaa, who assumed office after the fall of Bashar
al-Assad in December 2024, thanked Trump for lifting sanctions, calling it a
pivotal step toward rebuilding Syria. He also expressed gratitude to Saudi
Arabia and Turkey for their diplomatic efforts in support of Syria’s
reintegration.
During the visit, Trump toured Diriyah with the Crown Prince
and learned about the area’s historical significance and future as a global
cultural destination. The president was briefed on Diriyah’s development plan
and praised Saudi Arabia’s transformation.
Trump’s departure follows a series of high-impact meetings and
announcements, solidifying US–Saudi relations, expanding investment and
security cooperation, and opening new diplomatic channels in the Middle East.
Courtesy: Saudi Gazette
The US leader added that he is also looking to normalize
relations with Sharaa. The meeting between the two comes one day after Trump
said that the US was lifting sanctions on Syria.
Trump told the Syrian leader he has "a tremendous
opportunity to do something historic in his country," according to an
official statement by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Trump
also urged Sharaa to tell all foreign terrorists to leave Syria, deport
Palestinian terrorists, help the US to prevent the resurgence of ISIS, and assume
responsibility for ISIS detention centers in the northeastern parts of the
country.
Shaara affirmed his commitment to the 1974 disengagement
with Israel, the White House statement continued, recognized the opportunities
of Iranians leaving Syria, and expressed interest in joint US-Syrian efforts in
combating terrorism and eliminating chemical weapons.
Trump
also said that his Middle East trip doesn't push Israel aside, saying, "I
think it's very good for Israel."
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was also present in
the meeting, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined by video
conference. Erdogan and the Saudi Crown Prince praised Trump for lifting the
sanctions on Syria, Leavitt said.
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said that
Saudi Arabia would support Syria's economic recovery and thanked Trump for
lifting US sanctions on Syria. He said that there are many investment
opportunities in Syria after lifting US sanctions, possibly a "breakthrough"
in Saudi support for Syria.
Trump speaking
at a US-Saudi investment forum in Riyadh, praised leaders in Saudi Arabia,
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates for turning their capitals into hubs of
commerce and called it his “fervent hope” that Saudi Arabia would
eventually normalize relations with Israel.
The president portraying himself as a peacemaker for global
conflicts, took a softer tone toward Iran as his administration seeks to
reach a deal with Tehran over its nuclear program.
“As I have shown repeatedly, I am willing to end past
conflicts and forge new partnerships for a better and more stable world, even
if our differences may be very profound, which obviously they are in the case
of Iran,” Trump said.
“I want
to make a deal with Iran. If I can make a deal with Iran I’ll be very
happy,” Trump added. “We’re going to make your region and the world a safer
place. But if Iran’s leadership rejects this olive branch and continues to
attack their neighbors, then we will have no choice but to inflict massive,
maximum pressure.”
Trump said the olive branch to Iran “will not last
forever.”
Officials from Iran and the US have been engaged in
talks in recent weeks around Tehran’s nuclear program. Trump during his
first term withdrew the US from the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal,
which had offered sanctions relief in exchange for limits on its nuclear
program.
The
president has in recent days signaled he could be open to Iran having a
civilian nuclear program but has been adamant that Tehran cannot have a
nuclear weapon.
Trump also on Tuesday announced he was rolling back
sanctions on Syria at the urging of allies in the Middle East in an effort
to boost the new government in Damascus.
The US deal, announced just hours after the Israeli military
carried out major strikes against Yemen’s international airport and other
facilities in response to a Houthi attack on Israel’s main airport, was a
surprise to Israel, which was not informed in advance about the truce, an Israeli
official told CNN.
According to Trump, the US would halt an ongoing military
campaign against the Houthis in exchange for the group stopping its attacks on
US interests in the region.
The Houthis acknowledged the agreement but made it clear
their attacks on Israel would continue. Senior Houthi leader Mohammed Ali
al-Houthi said after the announcement that the agreement was “a victory that
separates US support for the temporary entity (Israel) and a failure for Netanyahu.”
On Wednesday, Netanyahu said, “Israel will defend itself by itself.” In the
past, Israel has carried out joint strikes with the US against the Houthis, but
two consecutive days of Israeli attacks on Yemen earlier this week were done
alone.
“If others join us—our American friends—all the better. If
they don’t, we will still defend ourselves on our own,” he said in a video
posted on social media.
Trump referred to the deal as capitulation from the Houthis
on Tuesday but on Wednesday he said they had a “good outcome with the Houthis,”
adding they had a “great capacity to withstand punishment” from repeated US
strikes.
“You could say there’s a lot of bravery there,” Trump said
at a swearing-in of his ambassador to China at the White House. “It was amazing
what they took.”
He added that the US would “honor their (Houthis’)
commitment” not to attack US warships or commercial vessels in the region.
The US-Houthi truce sidelined the Israeli government,
according to former US Middle East envoy Dennis Ross. He noted that Netanyahu
was left in the dark when the US began talks with Hamas in March and only found
out about US nuclear talks with Iran when Trump made the announcement seated
next to the prime minister in the Oval Office last month. The US-Houthi
ceasefire is one more instance where Israel’s concerns were a tertiary
consideration for the White House, if at all, he said.
Whether Houthi ballistic missile launches against Israel
continue remains to be seen, but Ross told CNN that Israel does not appear to
have been a major factor in the White House’s thought process.
“The Trump Administration thinks about America’s interests,”
said Ross.
There has been no public criticism of the White House
decision from Israeli officials. Netanyahu, who once openly criticized the
Biden administration’s requests and policies, is one of Trump’s most vocal
international supporters. Other members of the government have reserved their
judgment as well, instead focusing on Israel’s resolve against the Houthis.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement on Thursday
that “Israel must be able to defend itself by itself against any threat and any
enemy. This has been true in the face of many past challenges, and it will
remain true in the future.”
Trump designated the Houthi group as a Foreign Terrorist
Organization in the final days of his first term as president. President Joe
Biden revoked that designation early in his presidency in 2021, and Trump designated
it again in January.
"During his meeting with Gulf leaders, US President
Trump will present his country's vision for engagement in the Middle East
affairs in addition to clarifying his policy priorities in the region,"
the website reported.
There are also plans to invite leaders of other Arab
countries to the summit scheduled to be held in Riyadh, Axios reported. The
leaders could be invited to a broader meeting, it reported.
US officials confirmed that President Trump's visit to Saudi
Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates will focus on bilateral issues,
particularly investments, arms sales, and cooperation in the field of
artificial intelligence, Axios reported.
Trump is scheduled to arrive in Riyadh on May 13 on the
first leg of his three-nation Gulf tour that will also take him to Qatar and
the UAE.
After the Saudi visit, President Trump will travel to Doha
to meet Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. He will then travel to Abu
Dhabi on May 15 to meet with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed.
Domestic
Policy
Government
Overhaul
Trump established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon
Musk, to streamline federal operations. This initiative led to substantial
staff reductions and a freeze on new regulations and hiring, excluding the
military.
Immigration
Policies
The administration intensified immigration policies by invoking the Alien
Enemies Act for mass deportations and signing the Laken Riley Act, which
mandates detention of undocumented immigrants accused of certain crimes.
Additionally, plans were set to expand the Guantanamo Bay Migrant Operations
Center to detain up to 30,000 individuals.
Pardons
and Clemency
Approximately 1,500 individuals convicted in connection with the January 06
Capitol attack received pardons, including leaders of groups like the Proud
Boys and Oath Keepers. Ross Ulbricht, founder of the Silk Road darknet market,
was also granted clemency.
Education
and Social Policies
Federal funding was cut for institutions promoting diversity, equity, and
inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Trump also challenged birthright citizenship and
reinstated bans on transgender individuals serving in the military and
participating in women's sports.
Energy
and Environmental
Trump declared a National Energy Emergency, rescinded numerous environmental
regulations, and withdrew the US from the Paris Climate Agreement for the
second time. He also halted new federal leases for wind energy projects.
Foreign
Policy
International
Relations and Aid
Executive Order 14169 initiated a 90-day pause on foreign development aid,
excluding emergency food assistance and military aid to Egypt and Israel. The
administration also reinstated Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of
terrorism and withdrew from the World Health Organization.
Conflict
Resolution
Efforts to swiftly end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza faced setbacks. While
initial diplomatic engagements showed promise, renewed hostilities impeded
progress. A Kremlin-declared ceasefire in Ukraine offered some hope, but the
Gaza ceasefire collapsed in March, exacerbating humanitarian concerns.
Trade
and Alliances
Trump's aggressive tariff policies disrupted global markets and strained
relationships with traditional allies. His administration's unilateral actions
challenged longstanding international alliances and norms.
Domestic
and Global Response
Domestically, public approval waned, with only 11% of
Americans feeling better off since Trump's inauguration and 44% rating his
performance as poor. Internationally, Amnesty International reported that
Trump's policies contributed to a global decline in human rights, citing
increased repression and erosion of international law.
