Among the stack of documents Mr Trump put his signature on, two stood out like neon signs in a desert: his memorandum on a “maximum pressure” strategy against Iran and his bold vision for the Gaza Strip. It’s safe to say both announcements had people talking—whether in awe, confusion, or outright disbelief.
First up, the Iran memo. Social media had been buzzing all day with rumors that the world's most powerful man would drop the hammer on Tehran, and he didn’t disappoint—though he seemed less than thrilled about it. “I didn’t want to do this,” said Mr Trump, his body language screaming, “Do I have to?” as if he were signing up for a root canal. Still, he signed it, leaving the door ajar for Iranian leaders to come to the negotiating table before things get, well, explosive. “Iran will be obliterated,” he warned, without specifying whether that obliteration would involve drones, tweets, a strongly worded letter or nukes.
But the real jaw-dropper came with Mr Trump’s Gaza plan, which could only be described as… creative. Picture this: Egypt and Jordan take in Gaza’s residents on humanitarian grounds, build them new homes, and in return, the U.S. takes over Gaza and transforms it into a Mediterranean business hub. Mr Trump, ever the real estate mogul, even compared Gaza’s potential to Monaco, calling it the “Riviera of the Middle East.” (Somewhere, Monaco’s casino owners are nervously checking their property values.)
There’s just one small hitch, though: Egypt and Jordan said, “Thanks, but no thanks.” Mr Trump, unfazed, pointed to Mexico and Canada, who initially balked at his tariff threats before folding like a cheap suit. “They’ll come around,” he implied, as if Middle Eastern geopolitics were just another real estate negotiation. (Both countries, by the way, have been on the U.S. military aid payroll for years, so Mr Trump’s confidence isn’t entirely misplaced—or is it?)
The proposal left U.S. allies gobsmacked. European politicians, in particular, seemed to be auditioning for a collective impression of a deer in headlights. “What do we even say to this?” they seemed to ask, though no one dared answer.
Despite the global side-eye, President Trump remained unbothered. On the existing ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, he was cautiously pessimistic, ready to accept whatever outcome came—provided the hostages were returned. It’s a pragmatic stance, if not exactly inspiring.
Meanwhile, oil markets barely blinked. Despite expectations that renewed sanctions on Iran—OPEC’s third-largest crude producer—would send prices soaring, WTI and Brent crude were lounging at $71.14 and $74.59, respectively, as of 18:00 GMT. Analysts had braced for chaos, especially since China, the world’s top oil importer, has long been Iran’s biggest customer. With Mr Trump vowing to cut off that lifeline, oil traders are left wondering if they’ll need to start betting on wind farms instead.
For oil producers, the geopolitical drama is becoming a never-ending soap opera. Ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon? Check. Oil prices spiking? Not so much. It’s enough to make even the most seasoned trader throw up their hands and say, “Can we get a plot twist that actually moves the needle?”
In the end, President Trump’s Gaza vision may be a long shot, but it’s certainly bold. Whether it’s a stroke of genius or a geopolitical facepalm, only time will tell. For now, the world watches, waits, and wonders: What’s next in the Trump playbook?
