In his speech in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, President Donald Trump took a dramatic shift in tone towards Islam. While he often criticized Islam in his 2016 election campaign, in this speech he called Islam “one of the world’s great faiths.”
According to experts in the Middle East, Muslims will most likely be skeptical and frustrated with Trump’s newfound rhetoric. Though Muslim leaders present at the speech generally appreciated Trump’s shift in tone, several leaders have openly critiqued it.
Former Jordanian Justice Minister Ibrahim Alijazy believed Trump’s speech was noteworthy. He respected the shift from “‘Islam hates us’ to a friendlier approach of common values and shared interest.”
However, Jordanians, as well as other Muslims, would have liked for Trump to give clearer answers on America’s foreign policy in the Middle East in his speech.
“People in the region, particularly Jordanians, are looking for a more clear approach to the Israeli policies and an end to settlements, which may pave the way for a true two-state solution and end of occupation,” said Alijazy. “I would not call [Trump’s speech] a constructive tone.”
Alijazy also did not appreciate Trump’s “referencing [of] ‘Islamic’ terrorist organizations only.” Other groups are perpetuating acts of violence in the Middle East, and “Arabs and Muslims are the prime victims of these organizations.”
Trump did not acknowledge the critical role of democracy and the rule of law in his speech as well. According to Alijazy, democracy and law are essential to end the root causes of terrorism.
Political science professor Hamed Mousavi from Iran’s Tehran University stated that Trump’s new tone towards Muslims was not easy to accept. “Because Trump has been hostile and offensive to Muslims – with his Muslim travel ban, for example,” many Muslims will be skeptical of the speech.
The United States’ recent economic dealings with Saudi Arabia calls Trump’s position on Islam further into question.
Wahhabism, a fundamentalist sect of Islam that has a strict interpretation of the Koran, is the dominant faith in Saudi Arabia. In a 2013 report, the European Parliament concluded that Wahhabism was the main cause of global terrorism.
Nonetheless, President Trump signed an arms deal with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Saturday. The deal was worth $109 billion and was part of a larger $350 billion economic and defense investment over the next ten years.
Because of this arms deal, the U.S. can no longer put pressure on Saudi Arabia to reform Wahhabism.
“I think the U.S. needs to decide what it wants from this relationship with Saudi Arabia,” said Mousavi. “Does it want the economic benefits? Or is it to fight terrorism and to fight an extreme form of Islam? These two agendas don’t fit with each together. If Saudi Arabia buys this relationship, the U.S. will be in no position to lecture them.”
Palestinians have also made comments on Trump’s speech. Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, accused Trump of being “biased” towards Israel. In his speech, Trump called Hamas a terrorist group.
The group ultimately denounced “President Trump’s fabrications in front of the Arab and Muslim kings and leaders. Trump included the Islamic Resistance movement Hamas in the terrorism list. He denied the Palestinian people the right to resist, which is a legitimate and sacred right to liberate the land and holy places.”
Lebanese representatives have shared their thoughts as well. According to Karim Makdisi, an associate professor of international politics at The American University of Beirut, President Trump’s policies on the Middle East strongly resemble those of former president Obama.
Nonetheless, Trump’s Sunday speech “appears to signal…a potential shift away from Obama’s more pragmatic policy towards Iran that resulted, most notably, in the nuclear agreement,” said Makdisi. Instead, Trump openly criticized Iran for funding and harboring terrorists.
But by praising the Saudi king in his speech, Trump could have stirred up greater trouble. “Given the bitter Saudi-Iranian regional conflict that includes both proxy wars and sectarian bating, this shift may potentially lead to yet further violence and instability.”
Trump also offended the people of Lebanon with his “irresponsible” comments on Hezbollah, a Lebanese political and military group mostly made up of Shia Muslims, said Makdisi. Formed in the early 1980s, this organization was mainly created to fight against Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon. In his speech Trump equated Hezbollah with ISIS and al Qaeda.
“With Israeli rhetoric increasing against Lebanon, this does not bode well. The Lebanese will not put much stock in yet another grand speech, but they will keep an eye out for Trump’s position towards Israel’s threats against Lebanon, and any shift in U.S. policy towards Syria,” according to Makdisi.
With Trump’s good-versus-evil rhetoric, he confirmed in his speech that the United States would side with Israel and Sunni forces in the fight against terror groups.
“If this rhetoric is translated into action, the region is in for much bloodshed rather than the long-term ‘peace’ Trump spoke of,” said Makdisi. The “real litmus test” will be Trump’s policy towards Iran in the near future.
