BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN TZID:America/Detroit X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/Detroit BEGIN:VEVENT UID:36096@arabamerica.com DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260409T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260409T150000 DTSTAMP:20260325T142123Z URL:https://www.arabamerica.com/events/trumps-second-term-upending-democra cy-development-and-diplomacy/ SUMMARY:Trump’s Second Term: Upending Democracy\, Development\, and Diplo macy DESCRIPTION:\nBack to Events\n\n\nREGISTER HERE\nTrump’s Second Term: Upe nding Democracy\, Development\, and Diplomacy\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nS peakers\n\n\n\nJohn J. Mearsheimer\nAmerican Political Scientist and Inter national Relations Scholar\; R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Pro fessor of Political Science\, The University of Chicago\n\n\n\n\n\nNoura E rakat\nHuman Rights Attorney and Legal Scholar\; Professor in the Departme nt of Africana Studies and the Program in Criminal Justice\, Rutgers Unive rsity\n\n\n\n\n\nSahar Aziz\nDistinguished Professor of Law and Chancellor 's Social Justice Scholar\, Rutgers University School of Law\n\n\n\n\n\nDi ana Buttu\nHuman Rights Attorney and Analyst\; Former Legal Advisor to the PLO and Palestinian Negotiators\n\n\n\n\n\nCarrie Dann\nManaging Editor\, The Cook Political Report\n\n\n\n\n\nCharles W. Dunne\nNon-resident Senio r Fellow\nArab Center Washington DC\n\n\n\n\nKhalil E. Jahshan\nExecutive Director\nArab Center Washington DC\n\n\n\n\nTamara Kharroub\nDeputy Execu tive Director &\; Senior Fellow\nArab Center Washington DC\n\n\n\n\nMar c Lynch\nProfessor of Political Science and International Affairs and Dire ctor of the Project on Middle East Political Science\, George Washington U niversity\n\n\n\n\n\nShana R. Marshall\nAssistant Research Professor of In ternational Affairs and Associate Director of the Institute for Middle Eas t Studies\, George Washington University\n\n\n\n\n\nTrita Parsi\nCo-founde r and Executive Vice President\, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecra ft\n\n\n\n\n\nJames J. Zogby\nCo-founder and President\, Arab American Ins titute\; Director\, Zogby Research Services\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout the Conferenc e\nDuring his second term\, President Donald J. Trump has pursued a foreig n policy approach that continues to challenge longstanding diplomatic norm s\, strategic partnerships\, and multilateral frameworks. His administrati on has emphasized an “America First” doctrine and a transactional orie ntation that have significantly reshaped US engagement in the Middle East and North Africa. Policies ranging from efforts to expand the Abraham Acco rds\, the imposition of economic tariffs\, the suspension of various aid a nd development programs\, and the withdrawal from major international and multilateral organizations to assertive military posturing\, expanded arms transfers\, and the use of military strikes against multiple countries ha ve collectively redefined US engagements with the Arab world. The administ ration’s unwavering support for Israel’s genocidal war and ethnic clea nsing of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and joining its war on Ira n\, despite mounting international legal and humanitarian concerns\, have further strained global perceptions of US commitments to human rights and conflict resolution. Meanwhile\, trade disputes\, recalibrated security gu arantees\, and renewed debates over the legitimacy and role of internation al institutions have had broad implications for global stability and US le adership. Domestically\, these trends have shaped political discourse arou nd democratic governance\, civil liberties\, global alliances\, and nation al security\, themes that have become central in the run-up to the upcomin g midterm and presidential elections in the United States.\nArab Center Wa shington DC is dedicating its 11th Annual Conference to examining the Trum p administration’s foreign policy approaches and their implications for democratic norms\, international law\, and human rights in both the Middle East and the United States. Leading scholars and policy experts will anal yze the consequences of Trump’s second-term foreign policy for the evolv ing global order\; assess how shifting alliances\, regional rivalries\, an d recalibrated US–Arab relations are transforming the political landscap e\; and evaluate the long-term impacts of Trump’s policies toward confli cts—from Gaza to Yemen to Iran—on US credibility and strategic influen ce. What lasting legacy might the Trump effect leave for American diplomac y and democratic norms at home and abroad? To what extent is US public opi nion impacted by foreign policy decisions? What is the impact of the Trump effect on the Republican and Democratic parties? As voters look ahead to the next midterm and presidential elections\, how might these issues influ ence political candidates\, voter decisions\, and election results? Paneli sts will consider how US public opinion is responding to these development s\, how domestic and foreign policy dynamics are shaping the futures of bo th major political parties\, and how debates over alliances\, global confl icts (especially the Gaza and Iran wars)\, trade\, and national security m ay influence electoral outcomes and the trajectory of US foreign policy in the years ahead.\n\nConference Agenda\n\n\n\n9:00 AM – Registration an d Breakfast\n\n\n9:30 AM – Welcome and Introduction\nKhalil E. Jahshan\ nExecutive Director\, Arab Center Washington DC\nTamara Kharroub\nDeputy E xecutive Director and Senior Fellow\, Arab Center Washington DC\n\n\n\n9:4 5 AM – Keynote Address\nJohn J. Mearsheimer\nAmerican Political Scienti st and International Relations Scholar\; R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science\, The University of Chicago\; Auth or of “How States Think: The Rationality of Foreign Policy”\, “The T ragedy of Great Power Politics”\, “The Great Delusion: Liberal Dreams and International Realities”\, and “The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy”\, among others.\nKhalil E. Jahshan – Moderator\nExecutive Di rector\, Arab Center Washington DC\n\n\n\n10:30 AM – Panel I\nUS Polici es in MENA under Trump: Alignments\, Rivalries\, and Reshuffling the Regio nal Order\nDiana Buttu\nHuman Rights Attorney and Analyst\; Former Legal A dvisor to the PLO and Palestinian Negotiators\nMarc Lynch\nProfessor of Po litical Science and International Affairs and Director of the Project on M iddle East Political Science (POMEPS)\, George Washington University\nShan a R. Marshall\nAssistant Research Professor of International Affairs and A ssociate Director of the Institute for Middle East Studies\, George Washin gton University\nTrita Parsi\nCo-founder and Executive Vice President\, Qu incy Institute for Responsible Statecraft\n\n\n\n12:45 PM – Award Cerem ony\nPresentation of the ACW Excellence Award 2026\nHonoring\nNoura Erakat \nHuman Rights Attorney\; Associate Professor in the Department of African a Studies and Program in Criminal Justice\, Rutgers University\, New Bru nswick\; Co-founding Editor\, Jadaliyya E-zine\; Author of Justice for So me: Law and the Question of Palestine (Stanford University Press\, 2019)\ ; Former Legal Counsel to US House of Representatives and Legal Advocate f or Palestinian refugee rights at the United Nations\nFor Academic Integrit y and Commitment to Human Rights\n\n\n\n1:15 PM – Panel II\nWhat Next: Trump’s Legacy\, US Foreign Policy\, and Upcoming Elections\nSahar Aziz\ nDistinguished Professor of Law\, Middle East Legal Studies Scholar\, Chan cellor’s Social Justice Scholar\, Founding Director of the Center for Se curity\, Race and Rights\, Rutgers University Law School\nCarrie Dann\nMan aging Editor\, The Cook Political Report\nCharles W. Dunne\nNon-resident F ellow\, Arab Center Washington DC\; Former US Diplomat\nJames J. Zogby\nCo -founder and President\, Arab American Institute\; Director\, Zogby Resear ch Services\; Veteran Democratic National Committee Member\n\n\n\n\n2:45 P M – Closing Remarks\n\n\n3:00 PM – Adjournment\n\n\n\n\n\n ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.arabamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2 026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-25-at-10.19.38-AM.png CATEGORIES:Arab American,Discussion,Lecture LOCATION:National Press Club\, 529 14th St. NW\, 13th Floor\, Ballroom \, W ashington\, DC\, United States GEO:38.9071923;-77.03687070000001 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=529 14th St. NW\, 13th Floo r\, Ballroom \, Washington\, DC\, United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE =National Press Club:geo:38.9071923,-77.03687070000001 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Detroit X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Detroit BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260308T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR