Webinar: Trump and the Middle East

Trump 2.0 and the Middle East: Isolationism or Peace Through Strength?

25 July 2024 | 10:00-11:00 AM EDT | Online Webinar

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With Trump officially accepting the Republican nomination for President and Biden withdrawing from the race, join us for the next in our series of discussions on the impact of a potential second Trump administration.

Alexander Zaslavsky, Head of Research will moderate a debate among Michael Knights, Managing Director, MENA and Andrew Peek, National Security Advisor at the U.S. House of Representatives and a former director in the National Security Council and deputy assistant secretary in the State Department during the last Trump administration.

The first Trump term saw maximum pressure on Iran but also the Abraham Accords, bringing peace between Israel and a host of new Arab partners. Trump rejected a deal he saw as “invented elsewhere” and made a different deal he saw as worthwhile.

Elsewhere in the Middle East, many aspects of US policy stayed largely unchanged, even after Trump made sporadic attempts to bring change but found institutional inertia not worth the effort to overcome.

Key Topics:

  • If we see a second Trump presidency from January 2025 onwards, what will change and what will stay the same?
  • Will it be transformational or strangely familiar?
  • Will the isolationists win out or the traditional “peace through strength” advocates of US activism in the region?

Meet the Speakers:

Dr. Andrew L. Peek, National Security Advisor at the U.S. House of Representatives
Andrew Peek was previously the senior director for European and Russian affairs at the National Security Council and the deputy assistant secretary for Iran and Iraq at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. In these roles, Dr. Peek was involved with the most critical elements of US foreign policy, including the reimposition of Iran sanctions, Iraqi political engagement, American detainee recovery, Russian election interference, and ceasefire negotiations with Turkey. Read Andrew’s Bio.

Michael Knights – Managing Director, MENA
Michael leads our research on the Middle East and North African energy and security, specializing in the Iraqi political and security risk analysis since the mid-1990s. Read Michael’s Bio.

Alexander Zaslavsky – Cofounder & Head of Research
Alexander (Sasha) is one of two co-founders of Horizon Engage, establishing the company in 2003, with the goal to provide unbiased, unvarnished, concise research to our clients. Read Sasha’s Bio.

About Horizon Engage

Horizon Engage provides country-level analysis on political, social and environmental issues that impact the investment climate for foreign direct investors. We’re changing the game for our clients by merging tech and geopolitical expertise in a whole new way. Let us be your eyes and ears so you can make decisions with confidence. Learn what we do.

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