If there was ever any doubt about American engagement in the often-turbulent Middle East, the first 79 days of the new administration of US President Donald Trump should dispel any sceptics.
US diplomats and White House emissaries are blanketing the region on peace missions. The US Navy is fully engaged in active combat operations in the Red Sea, with a second carrier battle group on its way. Gulf investors have committed trillions in new US-focused deals in AI, energy and infrastructure. An Arab capital is host to diplomatic negotiations with American mediators over a European war. And Mr Trump’s first foreign trip of his second term, as it was during his first, will be to the region in the coming weeks.
American interests, attention and presence in the Middle East seem as enduring as ever. Yet friends and foes in the region are alternatively bewildered and emboldened by Washington’s policy swings across six presidential administrations since the new century.
After every US presidential election cycle, Middle Eastern leaders and observers are left wondering, which America will show up next? Is there any possibility of an enduring American consensus and policy towards the region? What can the region expect from the US? At the same time Washington wonders, what can the US expect from the region? Is there scope for effective regional burden-sharing that eases the demands on America’s attention?
Now more than ever, in a moment of extreme danger and renewed possibility, clarity and predictability among friends are critical. This was the goal over the past two days, when some of the most senior leaders from the US, the UAE and the region, including Israel, converged on Abu Dhabi. At the Middle East America Dialogue (MEAD) Summit, they reinforced the basic pillars of the US-Middle East relationship. But perhaps more importantly, they prompted each other to reimagine and modernise an 80-year compact fundamental to regional and American security and prosperity.
As a Republican and Democrat who worked at the highest levels in the US government and serve as honorary co-chairs of MEAD, we share a deep belief in America’s unshakeable commitment to this region. This should extend across the political divide and from one president to the other. It existed on January 20, as Mr Trump took office, just as it did earlier that morning when his predecessor, Joe Biden, concluded his term. And it was evident throughout the presidential transition period when both teams worked collaboratively to achieve a ceasefire-for-hostage deal in Gaza.
As is perfectly clear to the world, US presidents have different priorities, different styles and different policies. This week in Abu Dhabi, senior US administration officials described Mr Trump’s efforts to end the war in Gaza, set a new course with Iran, and expand on the Abraham Accords. The US shared what it expects from its regional allies: to contribute more to mutual defence and stability, to further bolster regional diplomacy, and to be an active partner in American growth and innovation at home, in the region, and around the world.
To offer a full perspective on US policy, former Biden administration officials at the Summit provided critical context and understanding to their decision-making. The Americans, Republicans and Democrats, were challenged not just by each other, but by their regional counterparts eager for greater clarity and insight.
Regional partners shared their expectations and how they would like to see America’s role play out in the Middle East. If there is one thing that connects every ally in this region, it is the desire to see America engaged and attentive.
The range of issues is expansive, and the region is undergoing tectonic shifts. But realism and vision can share a stage. Business and policy leaders discussed the vast potential of a more integrated, more normalised, and more peaceful Middle East. The region’s future is taking shape as a global hub and powerhouse of advanced technologies, energy innovation, forward-looking capital, and leading-edge logistics.
There should be no doubt. America wants to be a part of this shared future. Across administrations and partisan politics, the US has too much history and so much at stake in the Middle East. This week at MEAD, we engaged deeply, explained clearly, and listened actively. We owe the region and ourselves nothing less. We must advance each other’s diplomatic goals, invest in each other’s long-term economic prosperity, and strengthen our common defences.
American exceptionalism is not always easy for our friends to understand or accept, but it is far better than American isolationism. America cannot abandon or ignore the world. Instead, it must work together with trusted, capable and powerful allies to achieve shared objectives.
Those are the goals of MEAD.
Elliott Abrams is a former US diplomat who currently serves as senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations
Thomas R Nides is a former US diplomat who currently serves as vice chairman, strategy and client relations at Blackstone
