logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2025
41m 24s

Trump 2.0 and the Middle East: Taking St...

Middle East Institute
About this episode
In this episode of Middle East Focus, hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj speak with MEI Senior Fellow Brian Katulis about US policy in the Middle East under Donald Trump's second administration. Nine months into Trump 2.0, how much has really changed? Katulis breaks down the administration's approach to ​major issues, including the cease-fire in Gaza and broader prospects for peace, the aftermath of the 12-Day War with Iran, and how Washington is managing ties with regional partners. He also previews his upcoming quarterly report card, which grades the administration on key policy areas.
 
Recorded on October 22, 2025.
 
Listen to Brian Katulis's podcast:
Taking the Edge off the Middle East
Up next
Jul 2
Do the Gulf States Need a New Playbook?
After the US-Israel-Iran war — and the strikes that followed the cease-fire — the Gulf states find themselves dangerously exposed. Host Alistair Taylor is joined by MEI Associate Fellow Gregory Gause to discuss the war's impact on the Gulf, their partnership with the United State ... Show More
35m 18s
Jun 25
The US and Iran Signed a Deal — Now What?
After nearly four months of war, the US and Iran have signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding declaring the conflict over, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and beginning talks toward a final deal. Alan Eyre, MEI Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow and a core member of the 2015 J ... Show More
36m 40s
Jun 18
The Human Cost of the Strait of Hormuz Closure
When the Strait of Hormuz closed in March, fertilizer prices spiked within weeks, triggering a food security crisis across North Africa and the Sahel. Host Alistair Taylor is joined by MEI Senior Fellow Intissar Fakir to explore what it means for the region, unpack the link betwe ... Show More
33m 45s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2025
How Trump 2.0 could reshape the Middle East
It's a moment of change in the Middle East. A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and Hezbollah in retreat in Lebanon. Iran and its proxies are weakened and Syria has slipped from its grasp. Now, with President Trump officially installed in the White House, what impact mi ... Show More
26m 22s
Nov 2024
Make the Middle East Unpredictable Again: Trump's return and the future of US regional policy
President Donald Trump won a resounding mandate at the start of November, and he will return to the White House in January. This week on The New Arab Voice podcast we look at how a new Trump administration might approach the Middle East, what will they want to achieve, and how wi ... Show More
26m 57s
Oct 2025
What's the US planning for the Middle East?
What's the US planning for the Middle East? President Donald Trump came to the region on Monday to cement his plan for peace in Gaza. He says the end of the war ushers in a historic new dawn. But can he succeed where his predecessors have failed? In this episode: Sarah Eltantawi, ... Show More
24m 40s
Jan 2025
Trump 2.0 and Iran
Negar Mortazavi, Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy, speaks with Benjamin Friedman, policy director at Defense Priorities, and Trita Parsi, executive vice president at the Quincy Institute in Washington, about Donald Trump’s second term and his policy towards Ir ... Show More
37m 40s
Feb 2025
Trump’s New Middle East Policy
Negar Mortazavi speaks to Murtaza Hussain, foreign policy correspondent at Dropsite News, and Hooman Majd, Iranian-American journalist and author, about President Trump’s new Middle East policy. Episode 127. 
35m 50s
Feb 2025
Trump’s proposal to ‘take over’ Gaza
Today on the show, Fareed speaks with Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, about President Trump’s foreign policy, from his proposal to “take over” Gaza, to the potential for a new nuclear deal with Iran.    Next, President of the International R ... Show More
40m 45s
Nov 2024
What will be Trump’s plan for Gaza and the Middle East?
Trump has promised peace while vowing continued support for Israel for its ongoing war in Gaza and Lebanon. Now that he’s taking back the Oval Office, what can the Middle East expect?  In this episode: Daniel Levy, President of the US/Middle East Project  Episode credits: This ep ... Show More
22m 35s
May 2025
A Look Back at Trump’s First 100 Days
Today on the show, prominent historians Niall Ferguson and Jon Meacham join the show to break down the first 100 days of President Trump’s second term. They discuss the administration’s foreign policy and whether there are any historical parallels to Trump 2.0. Then, former Canad ... Show More
41m 3s
Feb 2025
Trump Wants To Turn Gaza Into The 'Riviera Of The Middle East'
At a Tuesday press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump said he wanted the U.S. to own Gaza and he would transform it into the "Riviera of the Middle East." What has been the reaction to those statements? This episode: White House corresponde ... Show More
13m 28s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami