Trump from different Arab angles

The election of Donald Trump as president of the United States represents the start of a new phase following eight years of Obama’s administration. 

His win has surprised many people, but Trump the candidate will be very different from Trump the president.

His victory speech was the first indication of this change, and there is more to come.

Prior to his candidacy, Trump was hardly known by the Muslim and Arab worlds. Some of his comments during the campaign led to his portrayal as an enemy, with suggestions that his first priority as a president will be to take the action against Arabs and Muslims.

This perception will be difficult to change, as it was one of the key arguments used against him by his opponent and those in the media who do not support him. 

Trump’s management of the issue is not as simple as the media has portrayed, and it has massive political implications for Arab societies.

A clear pillar of Trump’s foreign policy is to take the fight to the terrorists, specifically targeting Daesh. 

For many Arab leaders, especially allies of America, a strong and clear strategy to fight Daesh would be welcome, as it would rebuild relations with US through this anti-terror strategy. 

Many US allies in the region have struggled to openly support President Barack Obama’s strategy and rhetoric and tried to deal with America under the assumptions that they had during the early stages of the “war on terror” started by George W. Bush. 

A US return to that strategy will be a relief to many regimes in the region. 

A Hillary Clinton White House would likely have meant a new set of challenges for many Arab and Muslim countries. 

According to Obama, in an interview to The Atlantic, the Arab world’s problems are internal. Their strategy was based on placing blame on the American-bloc countries in the region, especially the Gulf monarchies, particularly Saudi Arabia.

This despite the fact that those monarchies are facing the threat of new and diverse Islamic movements under the Muslim Brotherhood banner, in Egypt and across the Gulf, that could lead to a new wave of the Arab Spring uprisings targeting them.

The arrival of Trump will make an uprising of these groups far more difficult.

On the other hand, observers believe another Democrat in the White House would have created a series of challenges for these countries by wishing to promote democracy and human rights, at all costs.

It is interesting to compare Trump’s stated position on the Gulf countries with the position Congress took in overruling Obama’s veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act. Clearly they are on the same page.

The next challenge for Trump will be in relations with countries that support the Muslim Brotherhood.

While Trump may be viewed negatively by the Muslim and Arab public because of some of his comments, his relationship with their leaders is likely to be good, as, politically, their positions are aligned.

Trump is likely to build relations based on cooperation in fighting terrorism and any steps towards weakening the Muslim Brotherhood because of the connections with terrorists, which will make the region return to the old paradigms of US-Arab relations.

A Trump White House could also lead to a rapprochement with Russia, which will have a huge impact on US foreign policy, and specifically on NATO, as this alliance is built entirely on Russia as an enemy.

It may lead to a new wave of political extremism and a growth in extreme right-wing groups in Europe. It will also mean concrete changes on the ground in Syria, ending the confusion and need to work with groups that are also terrorists.

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