Trump in the Arabic lexicon

European friends ask me, why did the majority in the Gulf and Arab countries lean towards Trump in the electoral race and rejoice after the announcement of his victory in the presidential election?

It is not joy or inclination as much as it is an attempt to feel reassured that what is coming will not be against their issues and the future of their region. Arabs, like the rest of the peoples of the world, had their positions on the presidential candidates, whether Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Kamala Harris. But there are reasons and data that determine the position of the Arab street on the American candidate or president, and there are many, of which we will mention the most important.

Historically, this follow-up and interest in the American elections was not at the popular level until about fifteen years ago, that is, before President Barack Obama came to power. Before that, public opinion began to care about American affairs due to the events of September 11, 2001, with the ensuing hostility towards the Arabs, George W. Bush's wars on Afghanistan and Iraq, and the spread of hostility towards Arabs and Muslims in the United States and the West in general. But interest in the elections and the inclination towards one candidate over the other and waiting for the election results in the early hours of dawn began during the Obama era.

Specifically, because of the US position on the Arab Spring, the countries that fell into the trap of that "spring" are still experiencing a harsh autumn and have been unable to return to their normal situation. At that time, the US administration's position was in support of one very small party in the region, and that party received full support. After that, it fell resoundingly and failed to manage those countries, which the US administration discovered too late. This is considered the basis for the formation of the position of the Arab street, as the people in the region have not forgotten to this day the positions of the democratic US administration that caused disasters in the Arab region, and therefore the Arab street fears that the return of the same administration may cause the same disasters and crises.

In contrast to this experience with the Democratic administration and the Obama administration, the period of President Trump’s rule - who is not completely popular in the region - did not witness any conflicts or wars in the region, unlike the last three presidential terms of the Democrats. This was much better for the Arab peoples.

It is true that Trump exploited some countries and supported and sided with Israel in a big way, having moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, but he was clear in his positions, even those that did not please the Arab street. This is an important point that must be understood by everyone who observes and analyzes the Arab street. People respect those who respect them, even if they are their enemies and disagree with them in opinion. The Arabs accepted Trump because he is a clear and frank person in his positions and decisions. He does not rely on evasion but instead calls things as they are, and people by nature prefer to deal with clarity.

So we can say that Trump, in Arabic lexicon, is a person who is clear in his positions and realistic in his decisions. He understands the challenges of the region and deals with them pragmatically. He listens to his allies and holds dialogue with them, and in doing so he always puts his interests and the interests of his country first and foremost. He is a person who does not tend towards wars and armed conflicts. He has sharp positions and makes wrong decisions, but he can also back down from them.

This is how the Arabs see Trump, as they know him from his previous term in office and what they learned from his election campaign. It remains to be seen whether he will remain so and live up to their expectations when he returns to the White House next January.