Domestic politics has taken center stage in the United States as Congress struggles to pass President Donald Trump’s proposed budget plan under an aggressive deadline. But July is also shaping up as a pivotal month for Trump’s foreign policy in the Middle East and beyond. The US Senate narrowly voted through Trump’s budget bill earlier this week, and now the US House of Representatives needs to bridge divides within Trump’s own political party to meet the president’s goal of passing it before the upcoming Fourth of July holiday. Whether Trump and his party succeed could have a spillover effect on how he handles foreign policy, including pressing challenges still present in the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu comes to Washington next week for his third visit since Trump returned to office earlier this year. This meeting will take place amid lingering questions about the status of Iran’s nuclear program and major unresolved issues in the Gaza war.
Trump’s Middle East policy arrives at a temporary and fragile limbo | Middle East Institute
