Trump's march to the White House

Trump's march to the White House
Special coverage of the 70-year-old billionaire's ascension to power
1 min read
18 January, 2017
Donald J Trump has been inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States - becoming one of the most powerful and influential figures on the planet.

His anti-Muslim rhetoric throughout his election campaign has alarmed many in the Middle East and beyond, yet business leaders and rulers of Arab nations have welcomed his ascension to the presidency.

And while Trump has shown little sympathy to causes traditionally supported by the Arab world - such as ending Israel's near 50-year military occupation of the Palestinian territories - many expect his hard line against Iran and its proxies to play into the hands of powerful elites in oil-rich nations including Saudi Arabia.

His fondness for "strong leaders" will no doubt make him a natural ally to many ruling cadres in the Middle East and North Africa, though Arabs living as minorities in the global diaspora - particularly in the US - remain fearful over rising Islamophobic attacks on shops, community centres and places of worship.

The New Arab has been closely following Trump's rise, examining how his unilateral ideas and "deal-making" will work in a multi-polar world. Catch up with all our coverage right here.