Trinity’s David Lesch Comments on Trump’s “Power-First” Middle East Strategy for The Times (UK)

David Lesch, Ph.D., Ewing Halsell Distinguished Professor of History and Middle East specialist at Trinity University, argues that while previous U.S. presidents like Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton relied primarily on moral persuasion and diplomatic soft power in the Middle East, Donald Trump has shifted to a far more transactional, power-driven foreign-policy style. Lesch describes Trump’s approach as one “based more on his gut-feeling and personal drive for recognition rather than any strategic doctrine,” which, backed by U.S. economic and military leverage, can open the door to unconventional deals that defy traditional foreign‐policy norms.

Lesch further notes that when security stakes are high in the region, there is “no substitute for U.S. military, strategic, economic power and pressure,” underscoring how Trump’s method, while controversial, draws on raw leverage more than the kind of moral leadership his predecessors emphasized. Read the full story here.