, Columnist
Iran Is Much Weaker Than the Last Time It Faced Trump
A “maximum pressure” campaign, combined with Israel’s military successes, could bring Gulf states into a stronger anti-Tehran alliance.
Back to bros?
Photographer: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images
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The Middle East has long been a source of misery for Washington. It could be a land of opportunity for Donald Trump.
In his first term as president, Trump brokered diplomatic détentes between Israel and several Arab states. In his second, he’ll encounter a region in which Israeli military successes have dramatically reset the balance of power. That creates the possibility for a bold play to roll back Iran’s influence and curb its nuclear program — if Trump can avoid stumbling into another Middle Eastern mess.