The return of Donald Trump to the White House in 2025 comes on the back of extreme violence in the Middle East, led by Israel and with great financial and political investment from the United States. What impact will Trump's second term have on the Middle East region, and what can we learn from his policies in his first term as President of the United States?

Between 2017- 2021 several major policies helped alter regional dynamics. From the Abraham Accords to the withdrawal from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement; from a strengthening of ties with the Saudi monarchy to both airstrikes and calls for troop withdrawal in Syria.

What are the current legacies of those policies, and what can the Middle East expect from Trump’s second term? Panellists discussed these questions from the perspective of the region, the United States, and global politics with a view to the impact on both citizens and states.

Meet our speakers and chair

Gilbert Achcar is Emeritus Professor of Development Studies and International Relations at SOAS, University of London.

Tom Bateman is an international correspondent with BBC News currently covering the US State Department in Washington DC.

Sharri Plonski is a senior lecturer in international politics at Queen Mary University of London.

Mezna Qato is Director of the Margaret Anstee Centre for Global Studies at the University of Cambridge.

Jasmine Gani is Assistant Professor in International Relations Theory at LSE.