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Gulf & Energy Policy

Policy Analysis on Gulf & Energy Policy

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President Donald Trump meeting with King Salman in Saudi Arabia in 2017 - source: Reuters
Brief Analysis
President Trump’s High-Stakes Gulf Trip Requires More Than Good Business
The president is expected to focus on big investment deals and arms sales during his Gulf tour, but he also needs to address some urgent security issues if he wants to come home with a win.
May 8, 2025
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  • Elizabeth Dent
  • Simon Henderson
Flight deck crew issues commands to a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet prior to launch from the carrier USS Harry S. Truman - source: Department of Defense
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Is the Houthi Threat a Checkmate for U.S. Military Logistics?
The Iran-backed militia’s disruption of Red Sea shipping is threatening America’s ability to rapidly deploy and supply its forces in the Middle East and beyond, but a combination of logistical workarounds, military measures, and diplomatic efforts may be the answer.
Apr 21, 2025
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  • James E. Shepard
Brief Analysis
What a U.S.-Saudi Nuclear “Pathway” Might Mean for the Iran Talks
Rather than clearing a route to normalization with Israel, a Saudi nuclear agreement with Washington may be key to addressing Iran’s military nuclear potential and wider proliferation concerns in the region.
Apr 16, 2025
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  • Simon Henderson
Photo of the Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates.
Brief Analysis
Setting Up the Next Phase of U.S.-UAE Nuclear Cooperation
With the U.S. point man on energy development touring the Gulf and Chinese and Russian nuclear initiatives on the rise, the Trump administration should consider how best to replicate the responsible Emirati model elsewhere in the region.
Apr 11, 2025
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  • Noam Raydan
Articles & Testimony
Trump’s Gulf Trip Will Test Regional Nerves and Alliances
With oil prices sliding and Iran talks ahead, the Gulf states are bracing for a high-stakes presidential visit.
Apr 9, 2025
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  • Simon Henderson
Ukraine's President Zelenskyy and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salma meet in Jeddah in March 2025 - source: Reuters
Brief Analysis
Saudi Arabia’s Emergence as a Diplomatic Broker
Riyadh has demonstrated the desire and ability to play a bigger diplomatic role in the Middle East and beyond, so Washington should support these aspirations—while taking care to balance relations with other Gulf states and ensure that Riyadh contributes constructively.
Mar 12, 2025
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  • Elizabeth Dent
A Houthi helicopter approaches a civilian cargo ship in the Red Sea in 2023 - source: Reuters
Brief Analysis
Despite the Houthi Pledge to Limit Attacks, the Red Sea Remains Highly Volatile
The Houthis have shown little willingness or ability to accurately distinguish between the ships they target, leaving Washington and its partners with no choice but to doubt the group’s supposed “ceasefire” and keep up the pressure.
Jan 27, 2025
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  • Noam Raydan
  • Farzin Nadimi
President Donald Trump meeting with King Salman in Saudi Arabia in 2017 - source: Reuters
Articles & Testimony
Expect the Unexpected with Trump and the Gulf
Whatever the new administration decides on major regional issues—from Gulf involvement in postwar Gaza to next steps on Iran—local leaders should be prepared to wait awhile and brace for surprises.
Jan 24, 2025
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  • Simon Henderson
Djibouti-flagged Lahar oil tanker
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
What Does the Red Sea Crisis Reveal About Sanctioned Ships?
Two sanctioned Russia-linked oil tankers, which were attacked by the Houthis in 2023 and 2024, recently changed their names and are flying the Djiboutian flag amid stricter Western sanctions.
Jan 17, 2025
◆
  • Noam Raydan
◆ Maritime Spotlight
Articles & Testimony
The Current and Future Houthi Threat to the Middle East
An effective response to the group's persistent aggression should include strengthening the United Nations verification and inspection mechanism, preparing sanctions against actors who violate UN resolutions, and taking steps to interdict arms transfers.
Dec 29, 2024
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  • Michael Knights
Brief Analysis
Expanding C-SIPA to Britain Signals Continued Commitment to Integration
By adding Britain ahead of Trump’s inauguration, the parties hope to sustain the agreement’s vision of building an integrated defense structure and forming a network of trusted partners for economic and technological development.
Dec 9, 2024
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  • Elizabeth Dent
Semiconductor image over map of UAE with U.S. Capitol dome
Maps & Graphics
In-Depth Reports
Semiconductors, AI, and the Gulf:
Policy Considerations for the United States
In seeking to bolster partnerships and simultaneously protect U.S. technology, officials will need to navigate export options ranging from permissive to restrictive.
Nov 18, 2024
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  • Elizabeth Dent
  • Grant Rumley
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Gulf Energy Transition: Assessing Saudi and Emirati Goals
The energy transition in both countries includes a continued need for fossil fuels while reducing emissions—though Riyadh hopes to export “all forms of energy” down the road, and Abu Dhabi seeks nuclear advances to meet power demand.
Nov 8, 2024
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  • Noam Raydan
Articles & Testimony
Gulf Leaders: "Welcome Back Donald, It’s Time to Get Down to Business"
Many leaders seem eager for the return of a U.S. administration that has shown a predilection for encouraging big business ties—though the ten weeks before Inauguration Day will be fraught with risks of new or escalated regional crises.
Nov 7, 2024
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  • Simon Henderson
Articles & Testimony
The Real Purpose of a U.S.-Saudi Security Agreement
A treaty would pave the way for better security integration among U.S. partners in the region and reduce the need for direct American intervention.
Oct 17, 2024
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  • Michael Singh
EU vessel participating in Operation Aspides against the Houthis.
Maps & Graphics
The Ship Operators Shrugging Off Houthi Attacks
While major operators will continue to avoid the Red Sea in 2025, others are launching new services in the high-risk waterway, including some that manage China-linked vessels.
Oct 16, 2024
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  • Noam Raydan
◆ Maritime Spotlight
Houthi fighters parade with their missile systems in Sanaa in September 2023 - source: Reuters
Articles & Testimony
A Draw Is a Win: The Houthis After One Year of War
The Yemeni group has strengthened its capabilities and aggressiveness to the point where it may be less vulnerable to international pressure than its Iranian patron.
October 2024
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  • Michael Knights
Riyadh Skyline
Brief Analysis
Saudi Arabia Signals Oil Policy Shift
The kingdom anticipates and accepts lower oil prices, according to a news report, but the impact on other producers could be comparatively damaging.
Sep 27, 2024
◆
  • Simon Henderson
Houthi fighters rally in Sanaa, Yemen
Articles & Testimony
The Houthi Takeover of Yemen Is 10 Years Old. It Must Not Reach 20
The Gulf states were right about the Houthi threat and the West was wrong, so another large-scale confrontation is inevitable.
Sep 21, 2024
◆
  • Michael Knights
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed walks with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House in September 2024 - source: Reuters
Articles & Testimony
UAE President’s White House Visit Is About Much More Than Mere Formalities
Besides strengthening both countries’ economies, the visit represents a new model of international partnership where traditional alliances intersect with cutting-edge innovation.
Sep 21, 2024
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  • Nickolay Mladenov

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Supported by the

Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy

The Washington Institute's Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy embodies the Institute's long-term research focus on the conservative Arab Gulf states -- Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman -- and the key role these countries play collectively as a primary source of the world's oil and natural gas.

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Featured experts

Patrick Clawson
Patrick Clawson
Patrick Clawson is the Morningstar Senior Fellow and Research Counselor at The Washington Institute.
Simon Henderson
Simon Henderson
Simon Henderson is the Baker Senior Fellow and director of the Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy at The Washington Institute, specializing in energy matters and the conservative Arab states of the Persian Gulf.
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