In the history of modern diplomacy, few spectacles have been as grotesque as Donald Trump’s tour of Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Doha. This journey, cloaked in the guise of statecraft, is not diplomacy in the traditional sense; rather, it is a meticulously choreographed theatre, staged in gold and fueled by the insatiable greed of power brokers. The applause that Trump receives from Gulf rulers is not a testament to his diplomatic acumen but rather a reflection of their own complicity in a sordid arrangement that prioritizes wealth over humanity. As children in Gaza face starvation and violence, the leaders of the Gulf states choose to fawn over a man who arms Israel and enables its military actions, receiving in return not merely words of gratitude but an avalanche of wealth that is nothing short of staggering.
At the heart of this theatre lies a chilling reality: the Gulf states possess significant leverage and power, yet they squander it in a dangerous game of appeasement. This is not a partnership built on mutual respect or shared values; it is a transactional relationship where the price of silence about the atrocities in Gaza is measured in trillions of dollars. Trump’s administration has made it abundantly clear that the Middle East is not a region steeped in history or humanity but a marketplace—a geopolitical ATM where the currency is compliance and the spoils are weapons and wealth.
Trump’s ideology is starkly simplistic: in his worldview, Arabs represent chaos while Israel embodies order. This binary perspective is not merely a misguided political stance but a business model that has real consequences for millions. The arms deal struck with Saudi Arabia in 2017, valued at $110 billion, was merely the beginning of a broader strategy to extract wealth from the Gulf states. Now, Trump demands even more—$3 trillion—while the Gulf rulers, terrified of their own populations and the specter of democracy, comply. They offer up their riches, not in a bid for peace or stability, but as a means to curry favor with a man who has shown time and again that he respects only power.
The stakes are high, and the implications of this dynamic are profound. The leaders of the Gulf states, in their desperation to maintain their grip on power, have made a Faustian bargain with Trump. They have traded their sovereignty for security, their dignity for arms, and their humanity for a stage upon which they can pretend to matter. The normalization of relations with Israel, the silence on Gaza, and the submission to Israeli supremacy are not signs of strength but rather markers of surrender.
Trump, with his characteristic bravado, has been open about his views on the region. He sees it as a playground for his ambitions, a place where he can broker deals and extract wealth without regard for the human cost. The applause he receives in Riyadh is not for his diplomatic achievements but for his willingness to turn a blind eye to the suffering of the Palestinian people. As he was being celebrated, Israel was dropping U.S.-made bombs on hospitals in Gaza, a brutal juxtaposition that underscores the moral bankruptcy of this arrangement.
The complicity of Arab rulers in this theatre of betrayal is particularly striking. They have chosen to remain silent in the face of genocide, to overlook the plight of their brothers and sisters in Gaza, all in the name of maintaining their own power. This silence is not born of ignorance but rather a calculated decision to prioritize their own interests over the lives of the Palestinian people. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with its skeletal infants and starving mothers, is a direct consequence of this betrayal. The U.N. food supplies have dwindled, hospitals overflow with the wounded, and yet the applause for Trump continues unabated.
As we reflect on this grotesque spectacle, it becomes clear that this is not merely a failure of diplomacy; it is a moral failure of epic proportions. The leaders of the Gulf states are not securing their legacies; they are sealing their places in the sordid footnotes of history, forever remembered as those who chose complicity over courage. Their actions, or lack thereof, will not be forgotten by history, nor will the suffering of the Palestinian people.
In the grand theatre of international relations, Trump’s Middle East policy is a tragic farce, a grotesque circus where the stakes are measured not in lives saved but in dollars exchanged. The applause that rings out in the halls of power is a hollow echo, a reminder that in this theatre of betrayal, humanity is the true casualty. The world watches as the leaders of the Gulf states kneel before a man who has shown time and again that he values wealth over welfare, power over principle, and greed over grace.
As we bear witness to this unfolding drama, we must ask ourselves: what will be the legacy of this theatre? Will it be one of shame and complicity, or will it spark a reckoning that demands accountability and justice for those who have suffered? The answer lies not only in the hands of those who wield power but also in the collective conscience of a world that can no longer afford to remain silent in the face of such betrayal. The time for complicity is over; it is time for a reckoning, for a return to the principles of justice and humanity that must guide our actions in the face of tyranny and oppression.
In the end, the theatre of betrayal that is Trump’s Middle East diplomacy will not stand the test of time. History will judge those who chose wealth over humanity, those who turned a blind eye to suffering, and those who mistook humiliation for diplomacy. The applause may fade, but the echoes of betrayal will resonate long into the future, a stark reminder of what happens when power is prioritized over principle. The world must not forget, and neither should we.
