[T]he American president doesn’t linger on details ... his new rhetoric just serves as another weapon on hand in one of his many campaigns against insubordinate enemies or friends.
As well as its unpredictability, one of the current U.S. administration’s primary characteristics is its ability to turn what seem like whims into real possibilities.
It would be a mistake to assume that Netanyahu dictates Trump’s Middle East agenda. It would also be a mistake to allow Netanyahu to tailor American priorities to Israel’s political and military actions in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.
While China has warned of serious consequences and may impose sanctions, the U.S. frames the sale as a necessary sustainment measure for existing aircraft rather than an escalation.