Trumps Bad Decisions: Donald Trump’s second term as U.S. President, beginning January 20, 2025, has been marked by a series of controversial foreign policy moves, particularly in the Middle East, where his administration’s pronounced bias toward Israel has reshaped regional dynamics.
Trump’s bad decisions, characterized by unilateral actions and a disregard for balanced diplomacy, have fueled tensions, undermined peace efforts, and exacerbated instability across the Middle East.
Historical Context of Trumps Middle East Policy
Donald Trump’s first term (2017–2021) set a precedent for his Middle East policy, characterized by a strong alignment with Israel and a confrontational stance toward Iran and Palestinian leadership.
His administration’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017, followed by the relocation of the U.S. embassy, marked a significant departure from decades of U.S. policy advocating neutrality on Jerusalem’s status.
This move, one of Trump’s bad decisions, was widely criticized for undermining the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, as it dismissed Palestinian claims to East Jerusalem as a future capital.
The decision provoked outrage across the Arab and Muslim world, with protests in Jordan, Lebanon, and beyond, signaling early tensions in Trump’s Middle East approach.
Similarly, Trump’s bad decisions included recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights in 2019 and declaring that Israeli settlements in the West Bank were not illegal, further emboldening Israel’s expansionist policies.
These actions, framed as diplomatic victories by Trump’s evangelical base, alienated Palestinian leadership and strained relations with Arab states committed to a two-state solution.
The Abraham Accords, while a notable achievement in normalizing ties between Israel and several Arab states, sidelined Palestinian aspirations, reinforcing perceptions of U.S. bias toward Israel.
These early decisions laid the groundwork for the more destabilizing policies of Trump’s second term. you can read more about this topic here.
Trump’s Bad Decisions in the Second Term
Since returning to office in 2025, Trump’s bad decisions have escalated, particularly in their impact on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
One of the most controversial moves was his proposal to permanently relocate Gaza’s Palestinian population to neighboring countries, such as Egypt and Jordan, to transform the Gaza Strip into a U.S.-controlled “Riviera of the Middle East.”
This suggestion, described as ethnic cleansing by critics, has been categorically rejected by Egypt and Jordan, with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi warning of domestic unrest if such a plan were implemented.
Trump’s bad decisions in endorsing this idea have not only violated international law but also inflamed tensions, risking further violence in an already volatile region.
Another of Trump’s bad decisions was his administration’s decision to freeze U.S. foreign aid, including humanitarian assistance to Gaza and other conflict zones like Sudan and Lebanon.
This move has disrupted life-saving programs, such as food aid and medical services, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where field hospitals rely heavily on U.S. funding.
The freeze, part of Trump’s broader “America First” policy, prioritizes domestic concerns over global responsibilities, leaving vulnerable populations at risk and straining U.S. relations with aid-dependent nations.
Trump’s bad decisions also include reinstating the “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, involving severe sanctions and military posturing, such as deploying aircraft carriers and stealth bombers to the region.
While aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, this approach has heightened tensions, with Iran enriching uranium to 60% purity since the U.S.
withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal—another of Trump’s bad decisions from his first term. The campaign risks escalating into military conflict, further destabilizing the Middle East and complicating U.S.-Iran relations.
Bias Toward Israel and Its Regional Consequences
Trump’s unwavering support for Israel, evident in his appointments of pro-Israel figures like Marco Rubio as Secretary of State and Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, has reinforced perceptions of U.S. bias.
Rubio’s 2015 statement describing Israel as the “only pro-American free enterprise democratic nation” in the region and Hegseth’s call for Israel to “destroy every last member of Hamas” reflect a policy framework that prioritizes Israel’s security over broader regional stability.
These appointments, coupled with Trump’s bad decisions, signal a continuation of policies that empower Israel’s far-right government under Benjamin Netanyahu, which has pursued aggressive military operations in Gaza and expanded settlements in the West Bank.
The endorsement of controversial Israeli policies, such as the potential resettlement of Palestinians, has emboldened extremist elements within Israel’s coalition government.
Figures like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who advocate for demographic engineering, have gained legitimacy from Trump’s rhetoric, pushing ideas once considered fringe into the mainstream.
This shift, one of Trump’s bad decisions, risks normalizing concepts like population transfer, which international law deems as forcible displacement, and could set a dangerous precedent for ethno-nationalist movements globally.
For the Middle East, Trump’s bias toward Israel has strained relations with traditional U.S. allies. Egypt and Jordan, key mediators in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, have publicly opposed Trump’s Gaza relocation plan, fearing it would destabilize their own populations and security.
The plan’s rejection by Arab allies underscores the diplomatic fallout of Trump’s bad decisions, as it alienates partners critical to regional stability.
Moreover, the focus on Israel has sidelined efforts to address other pressing issues, such as the humanitarian crisis in Syria and Lebanon, where U.S. aid cuts have left millions without essential support.
Impact on Iran and Regional Power Dynamics
Trump’s bad decisions have significantly impacted Iran, a key player in the Middle East. The withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, followed by the reimposition of sanctions in 2025, has crippled Iran’s economy but failed to curb its regional influence.
Instead, Iran has strengthened ties with Russia and China, supplying drones to Moscow and expanding its “Axis of Resistance” through proxies like Hezbollah and the Houthis.
Trump’s designation of the Houthis as a “foreign terrorist organization” in January 2025, coupled with targeted strikes, aims to counter Iran’s proxies but risks escalating conflicts in Yemen and the Red Sea, further destabilizing the region.
Iran’s growing alignment with Russia and China poses a challenge to U.S. influence, as Trump’s bad decisions have pushed Tehran toward alternative power blocs.
The deployment of U.S. military assets to deter Iran, while intended to project strength, may provoke retaliatory actions, increasing the risk of a broader conflict.
For instance, Iran’s support for Armenian factions in the South Caucasus, partly to counter Azerbaijan’s alignment with Israel and Turkey, could draw Iran into regional disputes, complicating Trump’s efforts to stabilize the Caucasus through initiatives like the Zangezur Corridor.
The Zangezur Corridor and Broader Regional Implications
The Trump administration’s involvement in the Zangezur Corridor, a proposed transit route through Armenia connecting Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan, illustrates another dimension of Trump’s bad decisions.
By branding the corridor under U.S. oversight, Trump has sought to assert American influence in the South Caucasus, potentially at the expense of Russian and Iranian interests.
For Iran, the corridor threatens to isolate it from Armenia, a key ally, and strengthen the Turkey-Azerbaijan axis, which is closely aligned with Israel.
This move risks escalating tensions with Iran, which views the corridor as a threat to its regional influence and a potential catalyst for separatist sentiments among its Azerbaijani minority.
The corridor’s U.S.-centric branding, another of Trump’s bad decisions, has also strained relations with Armenia, which insists on maintaining sovereignty over the route.
The proposal’s alignment with Israel’s regional allies, particularly Azerbaijan, reinforces perceptions of U.S. bias, further alienating Iran and its partners.
This approach risks undermining the fragile peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, achieved in March 2025, and could draw the Middle East and South Caucasus into a broader geopolitical confrontation.
Humanitarian and Global Fallout
Trump’s bad decisions have had severe humanitarian consequences, particularly in Gaza, where the suspension of U.S. aid has disrupted critical services.
The proposal to relocate Gaza’s population, coupled with continued U.S. support for Israel’s military operations, has deepened the humanitarian crisis, with famine and displacement affecting millions.
The international community, including the UN and EU, has called for a balanced approach, but Trump’s policies have sidelined diplomatic efforts, prioritizing Israel’s objectives over regional reconciliation.
Globally, Trump’s bad decisions have emboldened ethno-nationalist movements, as his endorsement of population transfer resonates with far-right ideologies in Europe, India, and beyond.
This normalization of extreme policies risks undermining international norms against forcible displacement, setting a precedent for other conflict zones.
The U.S.’s reduced credibility as a neutral mediator, due to Trump’s overt bias toward Israel, has also weakened its ability to broker peace, leaving the Middle East vulnerable to escalating tensions.
A Region at Risk
Trump’s bad decisions, from endorsing population transfer in Gaza to reinstating sanctions on Iran, have deepened divisions in the Middle East, prioritizing Israel’s interests over broader stability.
His administration’s bias, reflected in key appointments and policy moves, has strained relations with Arab allies, emboldened extremist narratives, and risked broader conflict with Iran.
The humanitarian fallout, particularly in Gaza, underscores the cost of these policies, while the Zangezur Corridor initiative highlights their geopolitical ripple effects.
As the Middle East navigates this turbulent period, the consequences of Trump’s bad decisions will likely shape the region’s trajectory for years, threatening peace and exacerbating tensions in an already volatile landscape.
source: raialkhalij