Susan Kokinda

But in his first administration, what was his first foreign visit?

It was to Saudi Arabia.

That was highly unusual.

And other Gulf states.

But he basically laid down the law to the Saudis.

And he said, you're going to stop your support.

for Islamic fundamentalism, for ISIS, for Al-Qaeda and so on.

And they did.

And he basically said, we're gonna have a different relationship.

You don't have to now only be a pawn of these Imperial forces, which you've largely been.

Now you can start to develop as a sovereign nation.

And we're gonna work with you from that standpoint.

And then that was the basis

on which he could then move on to the Abraham Accords.

I mean, Saudi Arabia hasn't signed them yet.

They were on the verge of before October 7th.

But where he started with other Gulf states, other nations, and say, you're no longer pieces on the imperial chessboard.

You're a sovereign nation.

I'm gonna treat you that way.

Let's work out trade deals which mutually benefit us, not where you're just a gas station