President Donald Trump is receiving praise even from Democrats for his three-nation Middle East swing this week, which included major policy announcements and hundreds of billions in investment commitments.
Democratic Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, who is the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, was among those who gave kudos to Trump.
While speaking at Politico’s Security Summit on Thursday in Washington, Himes noted that he’s not one for praising him, but, he added, “I’ve got to tell you, I think the president has, in this last week or so, played the Middle East pretty darn well.”
WOW: Democratic Rep. Jim Himes crosses the Trump Derangement line to admit the president has impressed him on his latest tour of the Middle East.
”I’m not in the habit of praising Donald Trump. But I got to tell you I, the last week or so in the Middle East. Ukraine-Russia is a… pic.twitter.com/NeSNLzmVWl
— DeVory Darkins (@devorydarkins) May 15, 2025
Himes argued that going into the week, he felt Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “hellbent on going to war with Iran,” but Trump put the brakes on that with a push for a diplomatic solution, in coordination with the Persian Gulf nations he visited: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
“Our task is to unify against the few agents of chaos and terror that are left,” Trump said. “The biggest and most destructive of these forces is the regime in Iran.”
BREAKING: President Trump speaking in Saudi Arabia:
“Our task is to unify against the few agents of chaos and terror that are left, the biggest and most destructive of these forces is the regime in Iran.” pic.twitter.com/mvYQV7pcDv
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) May 13, 2025
Do you consider Trump’s Middle East trip a success?
The president added, “I want to make a deal with Iran … If Iran’s leadership rejects this olive branch and continues to attack their neighbors, then we will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure.”
Trump: “I want to make a deal with Iran … But if Iran’s leadership rejects this olive branch and continues to attack their neighbors, then we will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure.” pic.twitter.com/hwQ0djqlSr
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) May 13, 2025
Himes also praised Trump for announcing the removal of sanctions against Syria: “That’s pretty good stuff.”
Trump said at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum in Riyadh that “I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness.”
The crowd erupted in applause and joined Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in giving the American president a standing ovation.
WOW! The Saudi Prince and the whole room give President Trump a standing ovation!
The world is healing under Trumps leadership! pic.twitter.com/7oj71MAv7I
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) May 13, 2025
Many of the sanctions had been put in place in 2011 to punish Assad for the brutal crackdown on his citizens, including, allegedly, the use of chemical weapons.
Axios reported Thursday that former Obama and Biden administration officials are “awed” by Trump’s moves in the Middle East.
Ben Rhodes, a national security aide to former President Barack Obama, said on the “Pod Save the World” podcast regarding lifting the Syria sanctions, “I don’t know why Joe Biden didn’t do this.”
Rob Malley, who held senior posts in the Obama and Biden administrations, said of Trump, “It’s hard not to be simultaneously terrified at the thought of the damage he can cause with such power, and awed by his willingness to brazenly shatter so many harmful taboos.”
Beyond policy announcements, Forbes made a list of the hundreds of billions in investment deals Trump secured during his Middle East tour. They included, most notably, $600 billion from Saudi Arabia and $1.2 trillion from Qatar. The United Arab Emirates had already committed to $1.4 trillion prior to Trump’s visit.
President @realDonaldTrump is our Dealmaker-in-Chief‼️ pic.twitter.com/DZD6M4tIbm
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) May 15, 2025
So even some Democrats agree that Trump’s Middle East visit has been a win.
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