A recent U.S. National Security Strategy document from December 2025 highlighted the ongoing, yet seemingly unwanted, American military presence in the Middle East.
The Long-Standing Priority
For at least half a century, the Middle East has been a top priority for U.S. foreign policy, surpassing all other regions. However, the days when it dominated both long-term planning and daily operations of U.S. diplomatic services are reportedly over.
Trump’s Strategy and Its Rapid Obsolescence
The latest U.S. National Security Strategy, signed by Donald Trump in December 2025, outlined the direction of White House foreign policy during his term. This strategy, however, has aged quickly.
For a quarter of a century, every U.S. presidential candidate has promised voters to reduce U.S. military engagement in distant parts of the world, yet each has subsequently authorized further military operations in the Middle East.
The Evolution of U.S. Engagement
The current episode explores how the Middle East became the primary theater of U.S. military and diplomatic activity over the last half-century.
Key Questions of U.S. Involvement
The analysis examines the origins of U.S. engagement in the region, who benefits from it beyond Washington, and the impact of U.S. support for Israel on regional relations – and whether that support has always been unconditional.
Finally, it considers whether the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz will be to the Americans what the Suez Crisis was to the British: a symbol of the end of their global empire.