Donald Trump’s election victory earlier this month surpassed even the loftiest of Republican expectations. With the last votes still being counted at the time of writing, the party looks highly likely to have a rare ‘trifecta’, meaning control of the presidency, the Senate, and the House of Representatives.
With most of America’s nine most senior judges now conservative (three of whom Trump appointed during his first term), Republicans can be said to control all three branches of government: the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary.
Trump’s first term was noteworthy for several reasons, not least his style of governance, which was chaotic at times, but over four years the world became well acquainted with his positions on key domestic and foreign issues.
Four years after leaving office, there are hints of subtle shifts in both his personality and his priorities (possibly influenced by the assassination attempt and rumours of further plots), but few can claim to fully understand what a second Trump term will look like. Clues are sought from his ongoing appointments.
Until his inauguration on 20 January, as the Biden administration’s influence wanes and Trump’s grows, there will be shifts seen on various foreign policy fronts. Those shifts are necessary, because the world Trump re-enters as president in 2025 is not the same as when he left office in 2021.
Trump’s Middle East
This week, Riyadh hosts the second Arab-Islamic summit, aiming to present a unified stance on regional issues, such as Israel’s twin wars in Gaza and Lebanon. The summit seeks to coordinate efforts to end the war, deliver humanitarian aid, and pursue lasting solutions for stability.
This follows a significant Saudi-led initiative from late September, proposing a global alliance to promote an independent Palestinian state in a two-state solution alongside Israel as an alternative to the one-state vision advocated by hardline Israeli factions, some of whose representatives are currently Israeli ministers.
Given that the coalition’s core comprises Arab and Islamic nations, the Riyadh summit holds strategic importance in energising the two-state initiative, encouraging states to formally recognise a Palestinian state and take concrete steps in that direction.
