Donald Biden: Trump’s New Middle East Policy and the Sideling of Israel

Donald Biden: Trump’s New Middle East Policy and the Sideling of Israel

In a dramatic reversal of decades-old U.S. policy, President Donald Trump’s second-term approach to the Middle East has shifted sharply away from traditional support for Israel, favoring instead closer ties with key Arab states and pursuing a controversial nuclear pact with Iran. This new direction has left Israeli leaders and much of the Israeli public deeply unsettled, as Washington’s most reliable regional partner finds itself increasingly marginalized in the evolving landscape of Middle Eastern diplomacy.

A New Order: Arab States Take Center Stage

Trump’s recent tour of the Gulf-visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates while conspicuously skipping Israel-sent a powerful message about the administration’s priorities. The president’s itinerary was packed with high-profile meetings, economic agreements, and public praise for Arab leaders, particularly Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. During this trip, Trump openly urged Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, a diplomatic initiative he brokered in his first term to normalize relations between Israel and several Arab states.

Yet, the context in 2025 is starkly different from five years ago. The ongoing war in Gaza, rising anti-Israeli sentiment in the West, and shifting alliances have complicated efforts to expand the accords. Trump’s willingness to sideline the Palestinian issue-once a prerequisite for Arab-Israeli normalization-has drawn criticism, but his focus remains on securing U.S. interests and cementing his legacy as a dealmaker.

Sidelining Israel: From Gatekeeper to Bystander

For decades, Israel leveraged its special relationship with the U.S. to act as a gatekeeper for Arab states seeking Washington’s favor. Rarely did Arab interests prevail over Israel’s, and any significant U.S. initiative in the region typically required Israeli buy-in. Now, that dynamic is changing. Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria, brokered as a concession to Saudi and Turkish leaders, was made over Israel’s strong objections. Israeli officials, who still view Syria as a security threat, were not consulted-a pattern repeated in other recent moves, including the U.S. truce with Yemen’s Houthi rebels and ongoing talks with Iran.

When pressed about Israel’s opposition to these policies, Trump was blunt: “I didn’t ask them about that”. This marks a profound departure from the past, where Israeli concerns were central to U.S. decision-making in the region.

The Iran Deal: A Nightmare for Jerusalem

Perhaps most alarming for Israel is Trump’s push to finalize a new nuclear agreement with Iran. Negotiations have advanced rapidly, with Trump declaring the U.S. is “very close” to a deal and urging Tehran to accept the terms quickly. Israeli leaders, long opposed to any agreement that would legitimize Iran’s nuclear program, have been excluded from the talks. Their requests to be a significant part of the process have been “flatly rejected” by the Trump administration.

Israeli officials fear that such a deal could shield Iran from further attacks and allow it to preserve key elements of its nuclear program, all while the U.S. expects Israel to refrain from unilateral action. The prospect of an American-brokered pact with Tehran-without Israeli input-represents a “nightmare scenario” for Jerusalem, which sees Iran as its most dangerous adversary.

Strategic Calculations: America First, Israel Second

Trump’s recalibration is driven by a desire to guarantee U.S. interests in the region, even at the expense of upsetting Israel. Multi-billion-dollar investments from Gulf states, the promise of regional stability, and the opportunity to contain Iran diplomatically are all seen as wins for Washington. For Trump, the slogan “America First” now means prioritizing deals that benefit the U.S. directly, regardless of the impact on traditional allies.

While Trump insists that relations with Israel remain strong, the reality is that the partnership has been relegated to a secondary role. Tensions between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have grown, especially over Gaza and Iran. Behind the scenes, officials from both countries acknowledge that the relationship “has hit rock bottom”.

Conclusion: A Paradigm Shift with Uncertain Consequences

Trump’s new Middle East policy marks a watershed moment. By favoring Arab states and pursuing rapprochement with Iran, the administration is redrawing the region’s diplomatic map-leaving Israel on the sidelines. Whether this shift will bring long-term stability or sow new discord remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the days of unconditional U.S. support for Israel are over, and a new era of Middle Eastern politics has begun.

In comparing Trump’s current Middle East strategy to that of his predecessor, it becomes clear that despite their differing rhetoric, both leaders have ultimately minimized Israel’s centrality in U.S. regional policy. While Biden prioritized formal normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia and sought to integrate Israel with its Arab neighbors, he also pursued engagement with Iran and took steps to improve relations with the Palestinians-moves that sometimes ran counter to Israeli interests. Trump, now in his second term, appears to be following a similar path, but with an even sharper pivot: his focus on Arab partnerships and willingness to negotiate directly with Iran signal a pragmatic, transactional approach that echoes Biden’s efforts to balance U.S. interests across the region, even at Israel’s expense. In effect, Trump’s latest policies suggest that, far from reversing Biden’s legacy, he is building upon it-further sidelining Israel in favor of broader strategic realignments with Arab states and adversaries alike.