The Peace President’s war diplomacy

The erratic diplomacy of the Trump Administration is heavily oriented toward producing “great television” moments in which the Orange Anomaly can announce some new alleged breakthrough which he can claim to be the greatest achievement of its kind in history.

The overall characteristic is blustering and threatening for the rightwing TV audience while haphazardly making agreements that have no meaningful strategic importance because Trump famously focuses on “transactional moments” in which he claims he won over an incalcitrant opponent. All this taking place in a context where he has forced the European NATO allies into a drastic reorientation of their defense strategies because they can no longer count on the US to stand behind the European allies – or even Canada! – in an international crisis.

Along with Trump’s ham-and-cheese-sandwich buddy Steve Witkoff as his real-estate Kissinger, he also also has a special envoy, Adam Boehler, on the case:

The White House … nodded through Israel's reimposition of a blockade that has once again choked off food, water and fuel to the enclave - further evidence of Israel's genocidal intent.

But while all this was going on, Trump also dispatched to the region a special envoy, Adam Boehler, to negotiate the release of the few dozen Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.

He was given permission to break with 30 years of US foreign policy and meet directly with Hamas, long designated a terrorist organisation by Washington. (1)

Boehler was a Trump nominee to be a Special Presidential Envoy, which requires Senate approval, but now isn’t. But apparently he’s going to go on doing the same thing anyway:

A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Boehler withdrew his nomination to avoid divesting from his investment company. The move was unrelated to the controversy sparked by his discussions with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

"He still has the utmost confidence of President Trump," said the official.

"This gives me the best ability to help Americans held abroad as well as work across agencies to achieve President Trump’s objectives," Boehler told Reuters in a brief statement.

Boehler recently held direct meetings with Hamas on the release of hostages in Gaza. The discussions broke with a decades-old policy by Washington against negotiating with groups that the U.S. brands as terrorist organizations.

The talks angered some Senate Republicans and some Israeli leaders. According to Axios, Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer expressed his displeasure to Boehler in a tense phone call last week. (2)

The Peace President is finding it quite a challenge to cut one of his famous deals in the tangled diplomacy of the Middle East!

Juan Cole warns that Trump’s latest attacks on Yemen aren’t exactly a model of peaceful diplomacy:

The bombing comes in response to the decision of leader Abdelmalik al-Houthi to react to Israel’s blockade of food and aid on Gaza, where a million minors are in danger of malnutrition, by again targeting Red Sea shipping and Israel itself. Al-Houthi said Monday, “The Israeli enemy’s insistence on preventing aid from entering the Palestinian Strip is a major act of aggression and a terrible, horrific crime that cannot be tolerated.”

That is, in order to support the total war on Gaza of the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and in order to pursue his monstrous plan to ethnically cleanse the Palestinians of Gaza, Trump is drawn into making war on yet another Middle Eastern country. Such a war is dangerous. What if the Houthis managed to kill US seamen on the naval vessels in the Red Sea that are supporting the bombing campaign? Wouldn’t he have to send in troops? Does he realize how costly in blood and treasure a Yemen ground war would be? [my emphasis] (3)

Notes:

(1) Cook, Jonathan (2025): The forever wars may be over, but Trump is no peacemaker. Middle East Eye 03/14/2025, <https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/us-forever-wars-may-be-over-trump-no-peacemaker> (Accessed: 2025-18-03).

(2) Layne, Nathan & Pamuk, Humeryra (20025): White House withdraws nomination for U.S. hostage envoy. Reuters 03/15/2025. <https://www.reuters.com/world/white-house-withdraws-nomination-hostage-envoy-2025-03-15/> (Accessed: 2025-18-03).

(3) Cole, Juan (2025): rump’s Air War on Yemen Escalates as Civilian Population Suffers Food Insecurity, Cholera Epidemic. Informed Comment 03/18/2025. <https://www.juancole.com/2025/03/escalates-population-insecurity.html> (Accessed: 2025-18-03).