Just like in his first term Trump’s first Trip overseas was to the middle east, starting with Saudi Arabia. It wasn’t the only country on his list. However there’s a notable absence on his itinerary that’s being talked about. Trump won’t pop over to Israel, not even for a quick photo op with his supposed pal Bibi. Hmmmm. Between that and some of the news about what Trump’s been saying and doing ole Bibi is going to have some serious explaining to do with the leaders of his Likud Party!
I’m not saying Trump and Netanyahu have had a falling out, but one has to think things have cooled down between the two of them. It looks like the days of (remember the children’s taunt?) ‘Donald and Bi-bi sittin on a swing, D E A L I N G’ are if not over on the wane. Thinking about it I’m not surprised. But first just what specifically is going on? There’s a good write up in World Politics Review that details where Trump has been and the results of his visits to the countries he HAS chosen to visit.
The linked article starts off making a point about unease in Israel and not just from Netanyahu. Bibi has said Trump is the best friend Israel’s ever had in the White House and from where I sit had good reason to make such boasts. Trump after all has said the same thing! Still, during Trumpty’s tour of wealthy middle eastern countries only a few hundred miles away from Israel they are starting to wonder what’s going on with Trump and his middle east policy:
What used to be a lovefest has turned chilly, making Israelis nervous about what’s behind the change and what it presages. Has Trump simply had enough of Netanyahu, as have most Israelis, or is he turning away from Israel?
Is the shift a question of personalities, or is it the product of an ideological battle within the Trump administration, pitting isolationist MAGA figures who are skeptical of U.S. support for Israel against hawkish ones who believe Israel is a key ally whose strength also benefits the United States?
Or, worse yet, was Trump’s affinity for Israel always a ploy for political benefit, rather than a deeply held conviction?
I think it’s a combination of all that, but in the end I keep coming back to what his entire life has shown about Trump. He’s purely transactional, only caring about “What’s in it for ME?” and countless times he’s tossed people and things aside once they are no longer of use to him. Or he’s found something he thinks is better. His professed ‘Total support for Israel; No one’s ever seen such support for Israel’ etc. was bullshit from the start. Conservatives in this country who claim to be Christian would be just fine if Israel was able to to to Palestinians what Hitler and his crew tried to do to Jews – exterminate each and every one of them. The point is that unquestioned support for Israel is a REQUIREMENT for any Republican to get support for high office and no more so than for those seeking the Presidency.
The thing is, Trump no longer needs Israel or Netanyahu. He’s gotten re-elected and won’t go to jail. AND he figured out (or more accurately minions figured out for him) how to milk the Presidency for WAY more money than he did during his first term. It doesn’t matter if Trumpty goes off into a lavish retirement in 2028 or turns himself into Dictator-For-Life the plain fact is he doesn’t need to playact love for Israel or the Jewish people anymore. He got what he needed. What he no longer needs are votes from Israel supporting conservatives! NOW it’s about what Trumpty WANTS which is money and bling.
Forget about all that talk of Gaza becoming a “Riviera” complete with some Trump Properties and of course one of them on the beachfront. The Israeli government can’t grease his palm in development deals the way other countries in the region can. Nor can they straight up make hundreds of millions in bribes disguised as donations be it abandoned but tricked out to the max 747s or, his Bitcoin and other means. When you think of donations from Jewish Americans, like Sheldon and Miriam Addelson for example – he’s gotten tip money compared to what Arab (MUSLIM!) honchos in the middle east will give him. Not that they haven’t funneled plenty to him already…
When you look at the last month of so it’s clear things have changed, and from Israel’s perspective not in a good way. Bibi went to the WH hoping during his sit down with Trump to get an announcement that Israel would be exempted from the Trump Tariffs. Trump didn’t just shoot THAT down, he smacked Bibi in the face with news he was reopening negotiations with freaking IRAN on its nuclear program! Then you had the spectacle of the Houthis almost hitting Israel’s main airport with a ballistic missile. Less than 48 hours later Trump announced a deal with the Houthis – no more U.S. airstrikes in exchange for them no longer attacking out ships in the Red Sea. Not that the Houthis would have kept their word but the absence of any language about ‘no more attacks on Israel’ was notably absent!
Now we’ve seen Trump just strengthening ties with Qatar including a sales of military jets. Qatar has been the primary funder of HAMAS, and has sheltered (allegedly still does so) their leaders and wanted terrorists. If all of that hasn’t been enough, Trump has this week announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria! Congress Critters including Republicans have made initial noises about that requiring Congressional approval but they’ve expressed other concerns, such as Trump usurping their authority on tariffs. That’s had about as much effect as GOP Senator Susan Collin’s classic ‘Deeply Concerned’ completed with pronounced brow furrowing.
Not a bit of that is something Israelis from individual (Jewish) citizens to anyone in their government are ok with. So hell yes they are worried. No one more so than Netanyahu who if not for the terrorist attack by Hamas would be out of office and maybe by now in prison for his corruption. His supposedly being on Trump’s short list of “Best Buddies” has been his proverbial hole-card. A literal ‘Trump Card’ and if it’s worthless? If Bibi wasn’t such a despicable piece of steaming human excrement I’d feel sorry for him. But he is so I’m not. I am however worried about Israel. If not leave them naked to aggression he certainly seems to be inviting plenty of harm to come raining down on them.
Here’s where it gets really cynical. Israel is likely to need a whole lot of new weapons to defend itself. Guess where they will have to get most of them? That’s right boys and girls, the United States. Trump will autopen sign any purchase agreement faster than he can blink. It will put a ton of money into the accounts of defense contractors. And keep their employees on the job and still earning paychecks. Yes, that’s awfully cynical but this is Trump and his gang we are talking about.
Well, I’d suggest making the time to read and digest the linked article. It’s sobering to think about the consequences of changes to U.S. – Israel policy. Also, when you think about it Trump is doing EXACTLY what he and conservatives insisted some Democrat in the WH would do. Withdraw a significant amount of support for Israel! If any Democratic President had done any one of the things I’ve cited they’d be howling loud enough to wake the dead, AND demanding public disembowelment on the WH lawn! Alas, it’s Trump so they’ll mostly find a way to rationalize it. Of that we can be sure.
In the meantime over in Israel Netanyahu and the Likud Party are if not in a total panic headed towards one. War in Gaza and the “issues” with ‘replacing a leader during wartime’ notwithstanding Bibi is in the glue. Israelis have only tolerated him because of his supposed relationship with Trump and the ‘blank check’ to do whatever the f**k he wanted. Clearly that check is no longer blank. Worse, Bibi and his country can’t give Trump anywhere near what he wants and can get from their enemies. As that realization sets in with both ordinary citizens and leaders of the Likud Party (and the even more hard-core ones) I’d say we might finally see the end of Benjamin Netanyahu. I think it would be fitting for him to die in prison. Same for Trump but in Bibi’s case it might actually happen. And Trump won’t give it a second thought.
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Oh boo friggin hoo Denis. Try as you will to find something negative about our President, but the truth that you don’t want to admit is that President Trump is winning and winning big with this hugely successful trip to the middle east. Signing huge investment deals, securing trade agreements and promoting good faith with with Arab nations, something the grossly inept biden administration could never do and is openly jealous of.
Did you see how he was greeted over there? You’d think the Beatles just landed at jfk! And our own troops, well it’s obvious which President they like, respect and enlist for.
The democrats however have their stupid chants, awful singing and mind blowing insistence on defending criminals…smh.
Inflation is down, prices are down, markets are up, tariffs are working as intended. President Trump and conservatives are rewriting the playbook for future presidents to follow.
Don’t worry lefties, even you hate filled America last loonies can join in the success!
MAGA bitches
Mark, you damn well know that if ANY Democrat had “accomplished” the things that you’re cheering on #DrowsyDonnie, you and the rest of the MAGAts would be screaming from the top of your lungs at the “horrors” being inflicted on you and your mouth-breathing inbred morons.
And, “tariffs are working” has got to be the single dumbest piece of garbage you wrote in your entire butt-licking comment. Drumpf keeps PAUSING those “tariffs” but when they DO work, they don’t do what you and Drumpf seem to think they do (remember, Drumpf is the ONLY person in history to file bankruptcy on a CASINO operation–not once but at least FOUR times). Tariffs are TAXES IMPOSED ON THE RECEIVER OF IMPORTS not imposed on the EXPORTER.
That’s pretty rich, you calling me a moron and other insults when you clearly selectively read my post and obviously get your misinformation from biased sources only. Your first paragraph makes no sense and has no point. And yes, much to your dismay, tariffs are working AS INTENDED. When employed as a tool to level the playing field or start negotiations they can be very effective. I can tell by your “definition” of tariffs that you consume way to much lefty opinion programming.
Jackass