The Ceasefire and the Business of Trump’s Diplomacy

The Washington Roundtable examines the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire and the uncertain road ahead, asking to what degree the Trump family’s business interests in the Middle East are shaping American foreign policy. The panel discusses the financial relationships between Qatar, the U.A.E., and Jared Kushner’s private-equity firm, and analyzes the intertwinement of personal profit and global dealmaking in the President’s approach. “The cliché about Trump is that he’s a transactional President,” the staff writer Evan Osnos says. “He’s basically putting that at the center of the diplomatic discussion.” 

This week’s reading:

• “The End of Israel’s Hostage Ordeal,” by Ruth Margalit
• “Donald Trump’s Dream Palace of Puffery,” by Susan B. Glasser
• “How Will Americans Remember the War in Gaza?,” by Jay Caspian Kang
• “Donald Trump’s Deep-State Wrecking Ball,” by Andy Kroll
• “The Last Columbia Protester in ICE Detention,” by Aida Alami

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. 

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 

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