Trump: Seven Trillion Dollars Foolishly Spent in the Middle East

Current and former Jordanian officials say that the United States is unlikely to cut its aid to the country due to its vote against the U.S. decision regarding Jerusalem. This comes as Donald Trump continues his criticism of the strategies of previous U.S. presidents, stating that it was 'foolish' to spend seven trillion dollars in the Middle East. The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, December 30, passed a non-binding resolution opposing the recent decision by the U.S. President to recognize Jerusalem as the 'capital of Israel' with the votes of 128 out of 193 members, including Arab countries. According to Reuters, this resolution was proposed by Egypt, and all members of the Security Council except the U.S. voted in favor. Prior to the resolution's approval, Donald Trump threatened that countries voting in favor would see their U.S. aid cut or reduced. On Friday, Trump tweeted: 'After spending seven trillion dollars foolishly in the Middle East, it is time to rebuild our country.' These remarks seem to align with his statements during the announcement of the new U.S. security strategy, where he emphasized his campaign slogan of prioritizing America and blamed previous leaders for their inability to focus on American citizens. Trump highlighted the strong economic performance during his presidency, stating that 'our leaders were busy building countries outside while failing to build our own.' Reuters notes that Jordan and Egypt are among the largest recipients of U.S. financial aid. However, both countries are so involved in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process that they voted in favor of the resolution despite these threats. A Jordanian minister told Reuters: 'Americans know better than anyone that a stable Jordan is vital for U.S. interests in the region.' The report states that Jordan receives $1.2 billion annually from the U.S. for defense cooperation and other activities. This unnamed Jordanian minister added: 'We do not expect the U.S. government to touch this aid, but if it happens, it will only exacerbate Jordan's economic problems.' Meanwhile, former Jordanian Prime Minister Taher al-Masri predicted that given Jordan's role as a regional ally in a chaotic and unstable Middle East, there will likely be no change in this aid. Al-Masri stated: 'The U.S. does not help us as a charity. Jordan plays a role in regional stability and has not fallen short in this regard.' However, some Jordanian officials have privately expressed concerns about the possibility of U.S. aid cuts. In this context, H.M. Hillier, an expert on Egypt at the Atlantic Council, told Reuters that Egypt is likely confident that despite Trump's threats, no one will touch the $1.3 billion in U.S. aid to the country. Meanwhile, Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, called the UN General Assembly's resolution 'a repudiation of Trump's decision' regarding Jerusalem, stating: 'Blackmail and intimidation will not prevent the realization of Palestinian rights.' Abbas also mentioned on Friday in Paris that he had discussed the consequences of Trump's decision with the King and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh over the past two days.