Donald Trump's administration, judging by the president-elect's appointments, will likely be "full-throttle right-wing," with some saying it could be even more hawkish than Israel's current government.
From UN Ambassador Elise Stefanik, who led the battle against terrorism and antisemitism taking hold in US universities, to Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who openly supports annexing the West Bank – something even Israel's government hesitates to commit to – to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth – all are steadfast supporters of Israel.
These appointments show that Donald Trump isn't calculating political costs and makes decisions based on his views and whims, even more boldly than in his first term. However, these individuals weren't appointed for their positions on the Middle East or Israel, but for their loyalty and commitment to the president-elect. This explains why some of our biggest supporters from Trump's first term – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley – are absent from the list.
These Trump appointments help clear some of the fog and question marks of recent months regarding Trump's intentions and future policy. While expressing support and warmth toward Israel, he has also notably courted Arab-American voters, many of whom are decidedly anti-Israel, trying to win them to his side. To Arab voters, he promised to end the war in our region – which they interpreted as a promise to pressure Israel to end the war in Gaza and Lebanon before achieving its objectives.
But this isn't just about campaign rhetoric – there's also a meaningful shift within the "royal family." During Trump's first term, the dominant figures were his daughter, Ivanka, who underwent Orthodox conversion to Judaism, and her husband, Jared Kushner, who served as the president's Middle East envoy and advanced the Abraham Accords, as well as the "Deal of the Century" aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ironically, Mahmoud Abbas, who rejected the deal and told Trump to "go to hell," is now actively courting him, trying to extract what the Palestinians refused to accept just a few years ago.
Today, Trump's family circle includes Arab world representatives, including Massad Boulos, his in-law, who might be appointed as his envoy to the Arab world. Boulos's son, Michael, is married to Trump's daughter, Tiffany. The elder Boulos is a Lebanese businessman who ran unsuccessfully for the 2009 Lebanese parliament on a list headed by Suleiman Frangieh, Hezbollah's ally.
Today, Boulos advocates for peace between Israel and Arab states, and it appears his time with Trump has moved him to the pro-Western camp. Nevertheless, Lebanon and the Arab world remain his primary concerns, hence his efforts to convince Trump to bring the war in our region to a swift conclusion.
Besides all this, Trump's second term remains an enigma. He occupies a position of power that few previous White House occupants enjoyed, owing nothing to anyone and needing no one's support.
Will he emerge as an isolationist who despises American involvement in world affairs, believing it comes at American taxpayers' expense, and therefore avoid taking strong action against Iran while seeking calm and stability? Or perhaps, precisely because he's now unencumbered by constraints, will we receive backing and free rein to reorganize the Middle East and advance our relations with the Arab world, while pushing the Palestinian issue off the regional agenda?
During his second White House term, Trump could become the best president we've ever known, but simultaneously, he could prove to be someone who eroded America's commitment and financial and military aid to Israel. Either way – we can only pray and hope for the best.
