Mr. Bin Salman Goes to Washington

Mohammed bin Salman got a royal welcome to Washington this week. President Donald Trump greeted the Saudi crown prince with a horseback procession, a lavish banquet, and even a fighter jet flyover. This pomp did not go over well in Washington, which Bin Salman has not visited since the death of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and fierce critic of the crown prince. Many Americans see no reason to roll out the red carpet for a ruler on whose hands they see plenty of red already.

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Trump Says He and Saudi Crown Prince Have ‘Reached an Agreement’ for Country To Join Abraham Accords

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he and Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman have "reached an agreement" for Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, bringing the region’s central power broker closer to normalizing relations with Israel.

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Saudi Arabia’s Ruthless Reformer

Napoleon Bonaparte was once asked what makes a good general. His alleged reply—“audacity, audacity, always audacity”—made it onto the long list of sayings attributed to the French commander. It is less clear, however, whether these attributes make for a good ruler. But as Karen Elliott House shows in her new book, The Man Who Would Be King: Mohammed Bin Salman and the Transformation of Saudi Arabia, we might just find out.

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Kazakhstan Set To Join Abraham Accords in First Expansion of the Agreements Since Trump's First Term

Kazakhstan will become the latest nation to join the Trump administration’s historic Abraham Accords later on Thursday, making it the sixth country to sign onto the pact meant to normalize relations between Israel and Muslim-majority nations, a U.S. official confirmed to the Washington Free Beacon.

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'It's Easier To Talk Here Than It Is in America': Dave Chappelle Takes Shots at US From Saudi-Censored Riyadh Festival

Comedian Dave Chappelle used his performance at the Riyadh Comedy Festival to rail against censorship in the United States—after attendees signed gag orders shielding Saudi royals and cashing in on major paydays.

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Qatar’s Double-Sided Diplomacy Crumbles in Israeli Airstrike

The Israeli strike in Qatar on Tuesday sent a shockwave rippling far beyond the Middle East. Qatar’s neighbors and several European states rushed to condemn the bombing. Donald Trump was more conflicted, stating, “Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States … does not advance Israel or America’s goals. However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal.” The United States ultimately signed off on the U.N. Security Council statement that "expressed their condemnation of the recent strikes in Doha" and "underscored that releasing the hostages, including those killed by Hamas, and ending the war and suffering in Gaza must remain our top priority."

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Here’s Everything You Missed From Trump’s Historic Trip To The Middle East

By breaking with tradition and visiting the Middle East, and the Gulf Arab States in particular, President Trump has shown he sees them as pivotal in changing the current dynamic.

Trump’s Retro-Futurist Vision for the Middle East

As is his habit, Donald Trump made his Middle East visit a whirlwind of activity. Saudi Arabia pledged to plow $600 billion into the U.S. economy amid a flurry of other high-tech announcements. Trump’s personal empire is making out well too: Qatar is donating a new Air Force One that is supposed to eventually be part of the Trump presidential library, and the president’s family has signed deals for golf courses and beachfront villas.

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Russia, Ukraine resume talks for first time in years — all thanks to Trump



Negotiators from Russia and Ukraine met in Istanbul, Turkey, on Friday, marking the first meeting between the two countries since 2022 due to mounting pressure from President Donald Trump.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan addressed the negotiators at Dolmabahce Palace on Friday, urging the two countries to reach a ceasefire agreement as soon as possible.

"There are two paths ahead of us: One road will take us on a process that will lead to peace, while the other will lead to more destruction and death," Fidan said. "The sides will decide on their own, with their own will, which path they choose."

'Although tensions ran high, progress has been made.'

RELATED: Trump earns unlikely praise from House Democrat: 'I got to give him some kudos there'

(Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

The war officially began under former President Joe Biden, but there was little movement throughout his term. Now, Trump has taken the lead to resolve the conflict.

Up until Trump's inauguration in January, Ukraine was essentially bankrolled by the United States. That all changed during the infamous Oval Office meeting with Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Although tensions ran high, progress has been made with various proposed peace deals, though none have yet been agreed to by all parties involved.

RELATED: Trump pledges to lift 'brutal and crippling' sanctions on Syria, pushes for Middle East peace talks

Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

The Russia-Ukraine War is not the only conflict Trump is trying to resolve. The president spent the week touring the Middle East and meeting with various leaders, like President Ahmed al-Sharaa of Syria, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey.

During these meetings, Trump encouraged the leaders to sign onto the Abraham Accords alongside Israel in order to restore peace in the Middle East. Trump also urged the leaders to expel foreign terrorists from Syria, to deport Palestinian terrorists, to aid the United States and prevent the resurgence of ISIS, and to take responsibility for the ISIS detention centers in Syria.

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Trump earns unlikely praise from House Democrat: 'I got to give him some kudos there'



President Donald Trump is no stranger to criticism from the left, but even Democratic Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut admits that his foreign policy is praiseworthy.

Trump has spent the last few days meeting with foreign dignitaries in the Middle East, including President Ahmed al-Sharaa of Syria, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey. Trump even announced he would be lifting sanctions on Syria, inching closer and closer to a peace deal.

'Himes admits that he is optimistic about Trump's handling of the Middle East this week.'

RELATED: Trump pledges to lift 'brutal and crippling' sanctions on Syria, pushes for Middle East peace talks

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

Trump's dovish approach to foreign policy has been praised by some political allies in the Republican Party, but Himes chimed in with a rare message of support from across the aisle.

"I'm not in the habit of praising Donald Trump," Himes said in an interview Thursday. "But I got to tell you ... I think the president has, in this last week or so, played the Middle East pretty darn well."

Himes said he went into the week concerned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "hell-bent" on going to war with Iran. He also expressed skepticism about Trump's negotiations with the new Syrian leadership. But so far, Himes admits that he is optimistic about Trump's handling of the Middle East this week.

RELATED: Vance tells Glenn Beck Congress needs to 'get serious' about codifying DOGE cuts

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

"My guess is that the prime minister of Israel is cooling his heels a little bit on planning for Iran," Himes said. "My guess is that he's probably thinking through a better situation than he otherwise might want for Gaza, and look, it appears we're going to give al-Sharaa a chance in Syria. That's pretty good stuff."

"Again, not in the habit of praising this president, but I got to give him some kudos there," Himes added.

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