UAE’s Response to Donald Trump’s Election Win and Its Impact on US &UAE Relations
2016 was a historic year. It rippled across the globe. It garnered a lot of attention outside of American borders. The UAE President was one of the first to respond to Donald Trump’s surprising win. Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan extended his greetings.
It also showed the close diplomatic ties between the UAE and the U.S. “Reflecting on this allows us to recognize a partnership that is also important for economic cooperation as well as regional stability,” it said. It is more than official formality. It fits with international diplomacy and economic cooperation.
The United States is an important anchor of relationship for the UAE. It is rooted in an interest shared by the two in security, in stability and in growth in the Middle East. Sheikh Khalifa’s message expressed respect to the democratic process. It had also demonstrated commitment to working with the new US leadership.
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Uncertainty was created by Trump’s win. It also brought new possibilities. The UAE took advantage of the opportunity to cooperate closely with a new administration. It represented an opportunity to make common cause in the Gulf region. Trump’s victory was seen as golden opportunity for joint ventures with the UAE. Counterterrorism and energy security were especially areas where this was true.
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At the time, many wondered what Trump would do with the Middle East. Allies wondered what he thought of economic growth and about defense agreements. The UAE was among them. U.S. foreign policy tends to focus on the Middle East. They wanted to see where Trump would go.
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There was nothing token about Sheikh Khalifa’s message. The results showed that the UAE was prepared to accompany change. The new U.S. government was in fact willing to engage the country. It could be a government with new priorities.
It was already active in building alliances. They wanted to make sure relationships remained strong. Thus, they wanted to deepen them—regardless of the questions surrounding Trump’s policies. The optimism of this approach was shown. Shared objectives like countering extremism and driving economic growth were things that it hoped would bring both countries together on the same page.
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But this has always been a way for the UAE to strengthen its international position. It also supports regional development. Looking back in 2016, that was part of a bigger diplomatic narrative. But, look, it was a reminder of how nations approach change and what opportunities they see. When changes in politics in inevitable, positive and steady engagement prevents turmoil. Resilience is important in diplomacy, it shows.
The partner in the UAE had shown that change is met with acceptance and acceptance is met with a well of friendship. In uncertain times, this is true too. This is a lesson for policymakers. Strong and a future oriented alliance is often down to being proactive and adaptive.
| 1. Did the UAE congratulate Donald Trump on his election win? (Yes/No) | |
| 2. What is one of the major focuses of US-UAE relations? (Select one) | |
| 3. Which of the following are key areas of collaboration between the UAE and US? (Select all that apply) |
Counterterrorism Energy Security Fashion |
| 4. The UAE was uncertain about Trump’s Middle East plans. (True/False) | |
| 5. How would you rate the UAE’s commitment to maintaining a strong relationship with the US? (0 – Not committed, 10 – Highly committed) | |
| 6. The UAE was proactive in deepening its ties with the US despite uncertainties. (Yes/No) | |
| 7. Which of the following best describes the relationship between the UAE and US during Trump’s presidency? (Select one) | |
| 8. Rate how much the UAE valued regional stability as part of its relationship with the US. (1 – Least, 5 – Most) |
References:
- Al Nahyan, S. K. “UAE President Congratulates Trump on Election Win”. ARN News Centre, 2016.
- “UAE-U.S. Relations”. UAE Embassy in Washington, D.C., 2016.
- Smith, J. “Middle East Diplomacy under Trump”. The Middle East Journal, 2017.
- “Trump’s Foreign Policy and Gulf Relations”. Gulf News, 2016.
- Ahmed, L. “Strengthening UAE-US Economic Ties”. Arabian Business, 2016.