Analysis: Another word for the Trump Doctrine — Pragmatism
This was evident in 2017, when Trump said in Riyadh that he wasn't there to 'to lecture' nor 'to tell other people how to live.' While that speech was dominated by security imperatives, which was necessary at the time, the Trump Doctrine in the Middle East evolved from a recognition that America's interests are best served when its partners in the region thrive economically.
In Riyadh last month, Trump praised Gulf leaders for 'forging a future where the Middle East is defined by commerce, not chaos.' Emphasizing his duty to 'defend America and to promote the fundamental interest of stability, prosperity, and peace,' he signaled a departure of US diplomats' insistence that we couldn't foster cooperation between countries until America's foreign policy addressed 'root causes.' These abstract orthodoxies resulted in false choices and stalemates rather than cooperation and progress.
The Trump Doctrine rejects these artificial constraints, and the Gulf is a prime example of the approach. Trump no longer sees the region as security partners, oil suppliers, or cash machines. The president recognizes them as engines of regional prosperity whose success directly benefits American industry.
Gulf countries pledged to invest more than $2 trillion in the US, and if they follow through, it would make Trump the most significant booster of foreign investment into the American economy. The Gulf would benefit as well, reflecting Trump's fundamental worldview that the best deals improve everyone's welfare. Prosperity is not finite but grows through smart partnerships.
This pragmatism extends to diplomacy. Previous administrations often assumed that deepening ties with one partner required distancing from another. The Abraham Accords showed that cooperation doesn't have to be a tradeoff. While Trump expressed his 'dream that Saudi Arabia…will soon be joining the Abraham Accords' in Riyadh, his doctrine's pragmatism requires recognizing reality: 'You'll do it in your own time, and that's what I want.'
Critics argue that the president's approach lacks a moral vision. I don't see it that way. Trump's repeated refusal to 'lecture' is best understood as an appreciation that the rapid social and economic changes in the region have not been easy. The extent of further changes will come if and when the Gulf States are ready. It is wrong — and not in America's interests — to demand that they become just like us. Trump's moral choice is to respect Gulf states' unique history, culture, religion, and society.
'Peace, prosperity and progress ultimately come not from a radical rejection of your heritage,' he said, but 'from embracing your national traditions and…heritage that you love so dearly.'
Trump Doctrine pragmatism extends to Iran. In 2017, Trump warned that 'until the Iranian regime is willing to be a partner for peace, all nations of conscience must work together to isolate Iran.' Today's approach, while still harshly critical of Iran, recognizes that Gulf prosperity naturally diminishes Iranian influence while creating space for possible diplomatic solutions. Rather than demanding Arab and Muslim partners choose sides, Trump understands that a prosperous Gulf can engage from strength. If a smart, good deal with Iran can be made, all are better off. If it cannot, all options remain on the table.
What emerged from the Gulf engagement last month is a mature approach tying American flourishing to partners who share Trump's vision of security, stability, and prosperity. This builds on his 2017 message that 'America is prepared to stand with you — in pursuit of shared interests and common security,' but evolves beyond security cooperation to shared prosperity. This is a natural evolution informed by regional changes and American experiences.
For those of us who have spent years watching Middle East policy lurch between overcommitment and neglect, the Trump Doctrine offers something genuinely new: a sustainable framework for American engagement based on shared prosperity rather than shared enemies.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dätwyler Holding AG (VTX:DAE) Interim Results: Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting For This Year
Shareholders of Dätwyler Holding AG (VTX:DAE) will be pleased this week, given that the stock price is up 18% to CHF147 following its latest half-year results. Dätwyler Holding reported in line with analyst predictions, delivering revenues of CHF563m and statutory earnings per share of CHF1.83, suggesting the business is executing well and in line with its plan. Earnings are an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance, look at what the analysts are forecasting for next year, and see if there's been a change in sentiment towards the company. So we gathered the latest post-earnings forecasts to see what estimates suggest is in store for next year. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. Following last week's earnings report, Dätwyler Holding's five analysts are forecasting 2025 revenues to be CHF1.11b, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to shoot up 179% to CHF4.98. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of CHF1.13b and earnings per share (EPS) of CHF4.52 in 2025. Although the revenue estimates have not really changed, we can see there's been a nice gain to earnings per share expectations, suggesting that the analysts have become more bullish after the latest result. Check out our latest analysis for Dätwyler Holding The consensus price target was unchanged at CHF153, implying that the improved earnings outlook is not expected to have a long term impact on value creation for shareholders. Fixating on a single price target can be unwise though, since the consensus target is effectively the average of analyst price targets. As a result, some investors like to look at the range of estimates to see if there are any diverging opinions on the company's valuation. Currently, the most bullish analyst values Dätwyler Holding at CHF219 per share, while the most bearish prices it at CHF125. This is a fairly broad spread of estimates, suggesting that analysts are forecasting a wide range of possible outcomes for the business. Looking at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can make sense of these forecasts is to see how they measure up against both past performance and industry growth estimates. It's pretty clear that there is an expectation that Dätwyler Holding's revenue growth will slow down substantially, with revenues to the end of 2025 expected to display 2.4% growth on an annualised basis. This is compared to a historical growth rate of 5.9% over the past five years. By way of comparison, the other companies in this industry with analyst coverage are forecast to grow their revenue at 4.7% per year. Factoring in the forecast slowdown in growth, it seems obvious that Dätwyler Holding is also expected to grow slower than other industry participants. The Bottom Line The biggest takeaway for us is the consensus earnings per share upgrade, which suggests a clear improvement in sentiment around Dätwyler Holding's earnings potential next year. Fortunately, the analysts also reconfirmed their revenue estimates, suggesting that it's tracking in line with expectations. Although our data does suggest that Dätwyler Holding's revenue is expected to perform worse than the wider industry. There was no real change to the consensus price target, suggesting that the intrinsic value of the business has not undergone any major changes with the latest estimates. Following on from that line of thought, we think that the long-term prospects of the business are much more relevant than next year's earnings. We have estimates - from multiple Dätwyler Holding analysts - going out to 2027, and you can see them free on our platform here. We don't want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 5 warning signs for Dätwyler Holding that you need to be mindful of. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Security operation under way on first full day of Trump's visit to Scotland
A major security operation is under way on the first full day of US President Donald Trump's visit to Scotland. The President is expected to take to the greens on the golf course at the Trump Turnberry resort, which he bought back in 2014. Ahead of that, a large number of police and military personnel have been spotted searching the grounds at the venue in South Ayrshire. Various road closures have been put in place, with limited access for both locals and members of the media. Mr Trump is staying at Turnberry for the start of a five-day private visit to Scotland which will see him have talks with both UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Scottish First Minister John Swinney. A meeting has also been scheduled for him to talk about trade with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday. With no talks apparently scheduled for Saturday, the President – a well-known golf enthusiast – appears to be free to play the famous Turnberry course. However, protests have been planned, with opponents of Mr Trump expected to gather in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen later on Saturday, with the Stop Trump coalition planning what it has described as being a 'festival of resistance'. As well as visiting Trump Turnberry, Mr Trump will head to Aberdeenshire later in his visit and is expected to open a second course at his golf resort in Balmedie. As he landed in Ayrshire on Friday, the President took questions from journalists, telling Europe to 'get your act together' on immigration, which he said was 'killing' the continent. He also praised Sir Keir, who he described as a 'good man', but added that the UK Prime Minister is 'slightly more liberal than I am'. Saturday will be the first real test of Police Scotland during the visit as it looks to control the demonstrations in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, as well as any which spring up near to the president's course. The force has asked for support from others around the UK to bolster officer numbers, with both organisations representing senior officers and the rank-and-file claiming there is likely to be an impact on policing across the country for the duration of the visit. Before the visit started, Mr Swinney appealed to Scots to protest 'peacefully and within the law'.


Newsweek
7 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Social Security COLA for 2026 and Beyond: What Seniors Want
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. American seniors are frustrated with how Social Security adjusts for inflation, and they want change. A new report from The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) shows a clear demand among retirees to improve the way the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is calculated. According to the group's latest survey of 1,92 individuals over the age of 62, 34 percent of respondents identified updating the COLA formula as their top policy priority for enhancing Social Security benefits. And when presented with specific policy options to raise future COLAs, seniors overwhelmingly supported a shift to a more targeted inflation measure. Currently, the Social Security Administration (SSA) calculates COLA based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). This index tracks inflation using the spending habits of younger, urban workers, not retirees. Since 1975, COLAs have been applied annually based on CPI-W data gathered during the third quarter of the year (July through September), with the goal of ensuring benefits rise in line with everyday costs, such as housing, food, and medical care. This year, benefits rose by 2.5 percent. The TSCL, based on current CPI-W readings, expects the 2026 COLA to increase slightly to 2.6 percent. However, regardless of the boost, for many retirees, that formula no longer works. According to the TSCL survey, 68 percent of seniors support replacing the current CPI-W model with the CPI-E, or Consumer Price Index for the Elderly. Developed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the CPI-E is an index that tracks the spending habits of Americans aged 62 and older, focusing on the types of goods and services seniors typically use, such as health care, housing, and prescription drugs. "CPI-E is designed to better reflect the spending habits of people aged 62 and older," Colin Ruggiero, co-founder at told Newsweek. "It gives more weight to health care and housing costs which are two of the fastest-growing expenses for seniors. Switching to CPI-E would make COLAs more relevant and responsive to the real financial pressures seniors face." Chris Motola, a financial analyst at told Newsweek: "The main advantage of CPI-E would be to more heavily weight health care and housing costs in COLA calculations, both of which tend to disproportionately eat into seniors' budgets." Another popular idea is making up for what's already been lost. The TSCL survey found that 57 percent of respondents support a one-time "catch-up" COLA payment to compensate for years when benefits failed to keep pace with actual living costs. Composite image created by Newsweek. Composite image created by Newsweek. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty/Canva "A catch-up COLA would be a recognition that past adjustments haven't kept pace with reality," Ruggiero said. "While it's feasible, it would require congressional approval and carry a hefty budgetary cost. Politically, it could gain traction as a way to restore fairness, especially if framed as a correction rather than a new ongoing expense." Still, the limits of these proposals are clear. While COLA reforms could help stabilize seniors' purchasing power, experts caution that they won't fix everything. "Adjusting the COLA is a great start, but it's not the cure-all," said Ruggiero. "We also need broader reforms to strengthen the entire retirement system, including benefit adequacy, solvency, and support for low-income seniors." Motola agreed: "It would go a long way, but again, a major problem is that Social Security isn't really meant to carry the burden alone. We've made it very difficult for people to save money for retirement, and the loss of pensions has placed enormous stress on the system."