The election of a proven deal-maker

In a remarkable victory on Tuesday, Donald Trump secured a return to the White House. The world watched as U.S. voters elected their next president, a role that is momentous and filled with global significance. Billions of people worldwide are affected by an election in which they don’t vote, due simply to the power of the United States in the world.

But what in particular does a Trump victory mean for a troubled Middle East? Undoubtedly, his election sends messages of hope and peace to many in the region and signals clear warnings for evil actors who caused harm in past years.

Many leaders in the Middle East view Trump as a better choice as U.S. president for their region. They have been uncertain about Vice President Kamala Harris’ unclear policies and feared that her presidency would give Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah a huge opportunity to gain additional strength. This is primarily because Harris failed to convey a clear disposition and attempted to sit on the fence regarding matters particularly related to Israel and Iran, which was designed to appeal to her liberal base. Her ambiguous positions presented an indecisive and floundering leader—an arguably despised trait in any leader—who would lead to more chaos and instability in an already troubled part of the world.

Unlike Harris, Trump’s victory offers hope and optimism in the chaotic region on many levels. He is viewed by Middle East leaders as the exact opposite of Harris. His first term provided an excellent track record, as he showed assertiveness—a trait admired by Arab Muslim leaders—and demonstrated unique abilities in cutting economic and political deals. Under his first term, Iran was largely controlled through sanctions, and many Muslim nations came to unmatched diplomatic relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords thanks to Trump’s leadership. Even Trump’s unquestioned support for Israel wasn’t a hindrance for major Arab Muslim leaders to work with him.

When Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, and supported Israeli settlements, Arab leaders were willing to turn a blind eye to these decisions in exchange for specific incentives. Trump knew the political equation and used his businessman instincts to make win-win deals that appealed to pragmatic leaders.

Some Middle East leaders have already voiced their preference for working with him instead of President Joe Biden. This is one reason why these leaders eagerly anticipated and greatly celebrated Trump's victory. Within a few minutes of Trump’s declared victory over Harris, the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, and Palestine congratulated him. Many others followed suit. One can feel their enthusiasm for Trump’s victory. These leaders view the president-elect as someone who can accomplish much for the region.

But Trump’s victory also puts evil actors in the region on notice. Iran is an important example. As the most hostile nation to Israel and the United States in the region, the Shiite regime knows it must now play a different game. While Iran was relatively able to stretch its evil arms of Hamas and Hezbollah in recent months to attack Israel and other countries in the region, this cannot continue under Trump’s leadership.

This is clear in a revealing statement by Hamas in which they called for an “immediate” end to war after Trump’s win. And it’s clear that Iran and its evil actors now know that the game will be quite different under Trump’s second term.

But Trump’s victory doesn’t come across as a free pass to the current Israeli government to act as it pleases. Trump wants to end the Gaza war and told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the conflict must end by the time he’s inaugurated. Most likely, Trump will begin his presidency by galvanizing efforts to stop the war in Gaza and Lebanon and brokering a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, seeking to establish peace by granting incentives to the Palestinian Authority.

Harris’ defeat reflects the dissatisfaction and rejection of many Americans of Biden administration policies, especially concerning the Middle East. Trump’s victory highlights the optimism of many Americans who hope for peace in a troubled land.

As we put our hope and trust in the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ, we should all pray for President-elect Donald Trump to succeed in his efforts to stop the war and bring peace to the Middle East.