Will Trump’s 2nd term bring change to the US' Middle East strategy?

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Axios
7 Nov 2024 23:56

Discover who Trump will appoint to key cabinet positions to advance his vision for peaceful relations with Russia — but will this approach extend to the Middle East?

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Latino leaders pray with then Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump as he participates in a roundtable with Latino leaders, on October 22, 2024, in Doral, Florida, the United States. (AP)

President-elect Donald Trump is focused on assembling a national security team for his second term, aiming to avoid the challenges that marked his first-term appointments, Axios reported.

The news website reported, citing sources close to the process, that Trump plans to appoint businessmen and CEOs to key national security roles, moving away from the reliance on former generals seen during his first term. He is also considering loyalists for prominent Washington positions who align closely with his policy vision.

Trump has repeatedly signaled that one of his top priorities would be negotiating peace between Russia and Ukraine, and he has also indicated that he would like to see the wars in Gaza and Lebanon come to a close by the time he is inaugurated.

However, officials nominated to take these key positions offer no radical change to what has been carried out by successive US administrations with regard to the Middle East.

State Department

Richard Grenell, former US Ambassador to Germany, is a leading candidate for Secretary of State, according to Axios and other media outlets.

The key position, under the Joe Biden administration, is currently held by Antony Blinken, who has not missed an opportunity to declare his support for the Israeli regime and mobilize in its defense.

Grenell, who advised Trump on foreign policy during the 2020 campaign, would likely focus on Russia-Ukraine diplomacy, offering a major overhaul of the current government's position on this issue.

With Republican control of the Senate, his confirmation in this position would likely face little opposition, according to Axios. Other candidates for Secretary of State include Senator Bill Hagerty, who served as Ambassador to Japan during Trump's first term, and Robert O'Brien, Trump's former national security adviser. Former State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus is also mentioned for a senior role, while Representative Elise Stefanik is seen as a top contender for US Ambassador to the United Nations.

Department of Defense and Intelligence Agencies

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Representative Michael Waltz are reportedly under consideration for Defense Secretary. Waltz could also be a candidate for CIA Director, along with John Ratcliffe, who served as Director of National Intelligence under Trump.

Brian Hook, Trump's former special envoy for Iran and currently leading the State Department transition, is also seen as a potential candidate for a senior foreign policy or national security role, the news website reported.

It is worth noting that Pompeo's role in promoting the normalization of Arab governments with the Israeli regime in Trump's previous tenure, where he was secretary of the State Department, is notorious. He was also active in other controversial decisions such as the US's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied-Syrian Golan and the transfer of the US embassy to "Israel" from Tel Aviv to occupied al-Quds.

National Security Adviser and the White House

Grenell and Waltz are also potential candidates for National Security Adviser.

However, as Axios noted, the final decision remains uncertain, and Trump's picks may change as the transition unfolds. A former senior Trump administration official pointed out that predicting appointments is difficult, citing the example of Rex Tillerson, who was not considered a top contender for Secretary of State at the start of Trump's first term.

The official emphasized that Trump will prioritize appointing individuals who will support his policy agenda, rather than obstructing it as some figures did in his first term.

Middle East Team

During his first term, Trump's Middle East policy was overseen by his senior adviser, Jared Kushner, who played a central role in drafting "the Israeli-Palestinian peace plan," which saw no support from any Palestinian faction. On the contrary, Kushner's plots in the Middle East saw unanimous opposition and caused great outrage among Palestinians and the Arab populace.

Although Kushner has said he is not interested in returning to government, the ongoing developments in the region could see him take a cabinet position.

No less of an Israeli regime supporter, Avi Berkowitz, Kushner's protege, could be brought back as part of Trump's Middle East team. Additionally, sources told Axios that David Friedman, who served as US Ambassador to the Israeli regime during Trump's first term, could return to that role. Former officials Jason Greenblatt and Aryeh Lightstone might also rejoin the administration to aid the president in Middle East-related policy.