#caspar and clayre wind up getting along like a house on fire

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I attempted to spread the word about Deep Space Discounts by announcing it to the Midnight Burger fandom...

But is the overlap large enough that someone will write a crossover, or do I have to do it myself?

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Trump’s 2025 Middle East Blitz: Deals, Drama, and Israel’s Jitters

Philip C. Johnson

May 16, 2025

Alright, folks, buckle up—it’s May 16, 2025, and I’m just back from Japan, but I’ve been watching Donald Trump work the Middle East like a deal-making machine, hitting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE in a very “Trumpian” way. The U.S. President is inking massive trade agreements, but Israel has been left out in the cold, and whispers of a Trump-Netanyahu rift are getting louder. Oh, and some folks are eyeing Ezekiel 37-38, wondering if ancient prophecies are playing out. Let’s unpack this fast-moving week.

Trump’s Deal-Making Bonanza

Trump’s trip is a straight-up economic touchdown. In Saudi Arabia, he locked in up to $1 trillion in investments for U.S. tech and energy. I’m guessing that BlackRock’s Larry Fink is grinning ear to ear. The UAE’s Etihad Airways dropped $14.5 billion for Boeing planes, pumping jobs into American factories. And the UAE’s $200 billion AI campus? That’s Trump flexing to keep China in the rearview. These deals scream “America First,” and I’m all for this kind of hustle.

But here’s where it gets awkward: the Trump family is cashing in big. Eric Trump is sealing real estate and crypto deals with Gulf power players, making lots of people wonder where diplomacy ends and the Trump brand begins. Qatar’s even pitching a luxury jet to replace Air Force One. The Qatari prime minister says it’s simply a “government-to-government transaction,” but critics are shouting “conflict of interest,” and I’m raising an eyebrow on this one too.

Israel’s Snub: A Diplomatic Slap

Now, let’s talk Israel—Trump straight-up skipped it, and Jerusalem is livid. No Gaza ceasefire, no big win to parade, so Trump ditched Israel for Gulf opportunities. The U.S. even negotiated American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander’s release directly with Hamas, leaving Netanyahu looking like he missed the memo. Israeli media is calling it a “humiliation,” and it certainly looks like Israel is being sidelined.

Ezekiel 37-38: Prophecy in Play?

Here’s where it gets crazy. Some folks are pointing to Ezekiel 37-38, where God restores Israel but warns of a coalition - Gog and Magog - turning against it. The coalition seemingly involves Russia, Iran, Turkey and an assortment of Islamic nations. Trump’s pivot to Gulf states and Iran talks has some thinking he’s cooling on Israel, setting the stage for prophetic isolation. With the U.S. cozying up to Arab powers and eyeing Iran, is Israel facing a biblical betrayal? For those who have been tracking this particular prophecy, the parallels are spooky.

Trump-Netanyahu: Rift or Rumor?

The Trump-Bibi drama seems real. Trump’s team, led by envoy Steve Witkoff, is fed up, saying Netanyahu is stalling Gaza peace. A Houthi ceasefire that doesn’t shield Israel? That’s salt in the wound. And those U.S.-Iran nuclear talks? Trump’s flirting with a deal allowing 3.67% uranium enrichment with tight inspections, but Netanyahu wants Iran’s program obliterated. So it’s understandable if Israel is freaking out, fearing a nuclear threat and a fading U.S. alliance.

My Take

Trump is keeping his America-first promises. He’s long said that he wants wars to end and he has always been about making deals. So it should be unsurprising when Trump sidelines leaders who aren’t interested in peace. Or in some cases, taking too long to finish up conflicts. Israel is feeling ditched, and Ezekiel’s prophecies add a fascinating twist. Is the rift with Netanyahu fatal? It’s probably more of an ego clash than a total breakup, but the snub is real. I believe that Trump’s got Israel’s back, just not at the expense of his focus on America-First and what seems to be a Gulf goldmine. But sometimes one global event feeds into the next event, and into the next, and suddenly the world is in a terribly different place. And that’s why I want to keep my front row seat - you never know what’s next. 

Source: Trump’s 2025 Middle East Blitz: Deals, Drama, and Israel’s Jitters