Defense Priorities
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MIDDLE EAST EXPERTS

Rosemary
Kelanic

Director, Middle East Program

Defense Priorities

Photo of Gil Barndollar

Gil
Barndollar

Non-Resident Fellow

Defense Priorities

Photo of Daniel Davis

Daniel
Davis

Senior Fellow & Military Expert

Defense Priorities

Photo of Daniel DePetris

Daniel
DePetris

Fellow

Defense Priorities

Photo of Benjamin Friedman

Benjamin
Friedman

Policy Director

Defense Priorities

Jennifer
Kavanagh

Senior Fellow & Director of Military Analysis

Defense Priorities

Photo of Rajan Menon

Rajan
Menon

Former Non-Resident Senior Fellow

Defense Priorities

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William
Ruger

Non-Resident Senior Fellow

Defense Priorities

Mike
Sweeney

Non-Resident Fellow

Defense Priorities

Photo of Will Walldorf

William
Walldorf

Senior Fellow

Defense Priorities

op-edSyria, Middle East, Sanctions

Trump’s unconventional Syria trip marks a paradigm shift

By Daniel DePetris

May 16, 2025

President Donald Trump landed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday with a singular goal in mind: sign big, beautiful, bountiful deals […]

Press ReleaseSyria, Basing and force posture, Middle East

In Syria, pair sanctions relief with a troop withdrawal

By Rosemary Kelanic

May 14, 2025

op-edIsrael‑Hamas, Israel, Middle East

Trump has tired of Netanyahu

By Rajan Menon and Daniel DePetris

May 14, 2025

The Latest

op-edSyria, Middle East, Sanctions

Trump’s unconventional Syria trip marks a paradigm shift

By Daniel DePetris

May 16, 2025

op-edIsrael‑Hamas, Israel, Middle East

Trump has tired of Netanyahu

By Rajan Menon and Daniel DePetris

May 14, 2025

Press ReleaseSyria, Basing and force posture, Middle East

In Syria, pair sanctions relief with a troop withdrawal

By Rosemary Kelanic

May 14, 2025

op-edMiddle East, China, Iran, Syria

Backgrounder: U.S. interests in the Middle East and President Trump’s visit

By Rosemary Kelanic

May 13, 2025

op-edYemen, Houthis, Middle East

The Houthi problem won’t be solved until Israel agrees to a renewed ceasefire

By Kevin Joseph

May 12, 2025

op-edIran, Middle East, Nuclear weapons

Trump risks boxing himself in on Iran

By Michael Hall

May 12, 2025

DEFP in the Media

Connect with Experts

Watch at NBC News: Daniel Davis on NBC News explains how the U.S. Navy lost a fighter jet in the Red Sea

Featuring Daniel Davis

April 29, 2025

Read at Christian Science Monitor: Trump seeks record military budget, but the search is on for spending cuts, too

Featuring Jennifer Kavanagh

April 17, 2025

Read at Responsible Statecraft: Reports: Despite limited stockpile, US gives Israel another THAAD

Featuring Jennifer Kavanagh

April 8, 2025

See All Events
virtualMiddle East, Basing and force posture, Diplomacy, Houthis, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Israel‑Hamas, Military analysis, Syria

Past Virtual Event: Trump in the Middle East: Impacts, implications, and alternatives

May 16, 2025
virtualSyria, Balance of power, Basing and force posture, Counterterrorism, Middle East, Military analysis

Past Virtual Event: Syria after Assad: Prospects for U.S. withdrawal

February 21, 2025
virtualMiddle East, Alliances, Diplomacy, Israel, Military analysis

Past Virtual Event: Assessing a formal U.S.-Saudi alliance

October 17, 2024