What It Means To Have Trump as an ‘Ally’*
Published in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
(Germany) on 7 October 2026
by Nikolas Busse (link to
original)
Saudi Arabia’s fate presents painful lessons for Europe. One can no longer count on America.
The specific consequences of Turkey and Pakistan now wanting to send soldiers to Saudi Arabia remain to be seen. Why the Saudis now want support from the so-called Mecca Pact, which is just two months old, is no puzzle, however. They have a massive problem with the Houthis in Yemen, and Donald Trump has, to date, unabashedly left the Saudis out to dry.
When the Iran-backed group recently announced a blockade against Saudi ships and then expanded its control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait, Trump didn’t come to the Saudis’ aid. Instead, he had the Houthis confirm an older agreement that they wouldn’t attack American ships.
The Saudis’ Export Routes Are Destroyed
One can imagine the emotional state in Riyadh: first, the president causes the Strait of Hormuz to be blocked because of his attack on Iran. Then, he watches while the Saudis’ second-most important export route is destroyed but negotiates for himself a separate agreement with their enemies. Whoever has an “ally” like that is better off looking for a new one.
The Middle East and its entangled conflicts still seem far away to German politicians. But they should watch closely because the Saudis’ fate presents painful lessons for Europe. If Trump isn’t willing to help an ally against a militia in a third-world country, would he do it against a superpower like Russia?
*Editor's note: This article is available in its original language with a paid subscription.
The specific consequences of Turkey and Pakistan now wanting to send soldiers to Saudi Arabia remain to be seen. Why the Saudis now want support from the so-called Mecca Pact, which is just two months old, is no puzzle, however. They have a massive problem with the Houthis in Yemen, and Donald Trump has, to date, unabashedly left the Saudis out to dry.
When the Iran-backed group recently announced a blockade against Saudi ships and then expanded its control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait, Trump didn’t come to the Saudis’ aid. Instead, he had the Houthis confirm an older agreement that they wouldn’t attack American ships.
The Saudis’ Export Routes Are Destroyed
One can imagine the emotional state in Riyadh: first, the president causes the Strait of Hormuz to be blocked because of his attack on Iran. Then, he watches while the Saudis’ second-most important export route is destroyed but negotiates for himself a separate agreement with their enemies. Whoever has an “ally” like that is better off looking for a new one.
The Middle East and its entangled conflicts still seem far away to German politicians. But they should watch closely because the Saudis’ fate presents painful lessons for Europe. If Trump isn’t willing to help an ally against a militia in a third-world country, would he do it against a superpower like Russia?
*Editor's note: This article is available in its original language with a paid subscription.
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