Trump’s first 100 days: What ‘America first’ means for the Middle East

Beyond the Headlines

During the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s administration, he has signed more executive orders than any other president in the same time span.

They are part of his mandate to put "America first". But many of his foreign policy orders have also had a direct and immediate impact on the Middle East.

He has frozen foreign aid, hitting countries like Egypt and Jordan that rely on US assistance. He has disrupted the admission of refugees into the US. He has imposed major tariffs on trading partners, with additional levies on Syria, Israel, Iraq and other Middle East countries.

At the same time, we've seen efforts by the Trump administration and Arab countries, including Gulf states, to pursue new economic partnerships. Negotiations for a nuclear deal with Iran are also bringing a glimmer of hope.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher looks back at Mr Trump’s first 100 days in office to understand where his priorities lie in the Middle East and how his policies will shape the region. She speaks to Steven A Cook, senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, and to Mohamad Bazzi, director of the Hagop Kevorkian Centre for Near Eastern Studies at New York University.