Trump’s Middle East Return: ‘Daylight’ with Israel

When Donald Trump made Saudi Arabia the destination for his first trip abroad in 2017, the president went with the intention of selling the Gulf States on his strategic vision for the region.

Trump planned to reorient America away from engaging with and empowering Iran. Instead, the U.S and its allies would confront the Islamic Republic. Additionally, the unsettled Palestinian issue would no longer dominate the American approach to regional diplomacy. Trump would dispense with the peace processor’s shibboleth that a permanent settlement in Gaza and the West Bank was a prerequisite for regional stability. Instead of coming first, the status of the Palestinian territories would come last.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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When Donald Trump made Saudi Arabia the destination for his first trip abroad in 2017, the president went with the intention of selling the Gulf States on his strategic vision for the region.

Trump planned to reorient America away from engaging with and empowering Iran. Instead, the U.S and its allies would confront the Islamic Republic. Additionally, the unsettled Palestinian issue would no longer dominate the American approach to regional diplomacy. Trump would dispense with the peace processor’s shibboleth that a permanent settlement in Gaza and the West Bank was a prerequisite for regional stability. Instead of coming first, the status of the Palestinian territories would come last.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.