Hannah Rosen

I'm Hannah Rosen. This is Radio Atlantic. And that is Hussein Ibbish.

I'm Hannah Rosen. This is Radio Atlantic. And that is Hussein Ibbish.

This week, we're watching the president's visit to the Gulf states, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The pictures that we're referring to show Trump at the airport tarmac in Saudi Arabia being greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a royal welcome. Lavender carpets, golden swords, Arabian horses, and Trump is smiling through all of it.

This week, we're watching the president's visit to the Gulf states, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The pictures that we're referring to show Trump at the airport tarmac in Saudi Arabia being greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a royal welcome. Lavender carpets, golden swords, Arabian horses, and Trump is smiling through all of it.

This week, we're watching the president's visit to the Gulf states, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The pictures that we're referring to show Trump at the airport tarmac in Saudi Arabia being greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a royal welcome. Lavender carpets, golden swords, Arabian horses, and Trump is smiling through all of it.

This is a stark contrast to a few years ago when MBS, as bin Salman is known, was a pariah in the West for his human rights violations. So what does Donald Trump's new approach to the Gulf states mean for our Middle East policy? And why is Trump so at home there?

This is a stark contrast to a few years ago when MBS, as bin Salman is known, was a pariah in the West for his human rights violations. So what does Donald Trump's new approach to the Gulf states mean for our Middle East policy? And why is Trump so at home there?

This is a stark contrast to a few years ago when MBS, as bin Salman is known, was a pariah in the West for his human rights violations. So what does Donald Trump's new approach to the Gulf states mean for our Middle East policy? And why is Trump so at home there?

The word that seems to summarize Trump's approach is transactional. That's the word that a lot of people use. So what are Middle East leaders getting from America and what is Trump getting from them?

The word that seems to summarize Trump's approach is transactional. That's the word that a lot of people use. So what are Middle East leaders getting from America and what is Trump getting from them?

The word that seems to summarize Trump's approach is transactional. That's the word that a lot of people use. So what are Middle East leaders getting from America and what is Trump getting from them?

Okay, so just to summarize, the transaction is they get protection, and what Trump gets is money for the country and money for himself.

Okay, so just to summarize, the transaction is they get protection, and what Trump gets is money for the country and money for himself.

Okay, so just to summarize, the transaction is they get protection, and what Trump gets is money for the country and money for himself.

Yeah, it's very clear when you describe it. The symbol, the concrete thing that is going to symbolize this trip for a long time is this luxury jet from Qatar. How should we understand what this transaction is?

Yeah, it's very clear when you describe it. The symbol, the concrete thing that is going to symbolize this trip for a long time is this luxury jet from Qatar. How should we understand what this transaction is?

Yeah, it's very clear when you describe it. The symbol, the concrete thing that is going to symbolize this trip for a long time is this luxury jet from Qatar. How should we understand what this transaction is?

This is so interesting. Basically what you're saying is this is the president that the Gulf leaders have been waiting for. Trump is the man that they can finally deal with in the way that they want to.

This is so interesting. Basically what you're saying is this is the president that the Gulf leaders have been waiting for. Trump is the man that they can finally deal with in the way that they want to.

This is so interesting. Basically what you're saying is this is the president that the Gulf leaders have been waiting for. Trump is the man that they can finally deal with in the way that they want to.