The president-elect has an opportunity to accomplish many of his agenda items, including dealing with Iran and Hamas.
Inauguration day is around the corner, and unlike in January 2017, when Donald Trump took the oath of office for the first time, now seems calmer and, in some corners, more celebratory. When Trump won the presidential election in 2016, the knives were out and being sharpened, so to speak. Not so this time around as Trump’s landslide victory has his enemies and detractors retreating somewhat. New York Times columnist Bret Stephens gave up his “Never Trump” status. Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is hanging out with Jared Kushner in Aspen, Colorado, and New York Rep. Tom Suozzi called upon his fellow Democrats to work with Trump in a New York Times column.
Hopefully, as president again, Trump will make major strides in his first 100 hours, and most certainly, in his first 100 days.
One of Trump’s first actions should be to deal with Iran’s nuclear reactors by either allowing Israel to bomb them or having the U.S. Air Force take them out. The time for negotiations with this evil regime has passed. They have been, and continue to be, the chief sponsor of terrorism in the world. Iran has already attacked Israel twice with hundreds of missiles—more if you count attacks by Iran’s proxy, the Houthis—and is the main backer of Hamas.
Tehran was intimately involved in the terrorist attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and the ensuing atrocities. And, according to the U.S. Justice Department, the Iranian regime tried to assassinate Trump during the election season. The regime is barely holding on, and once president, Trump can finally bring the murderous mullahs and the nightmare regime they have created to an end.
Iran still has tremendous sway over Hamas, and if the hostages who were taken on October 7 have not been released by January 20, 2025, any U.S. action against Iran will likely convince the Gaza-based terror group that it has no choice but to free them all. Dismantling the Iranian regime will stabilize the entire Middle East.
Trump can also facilitate the release of all of the hostages still being held captive in Gaza by letting Israel attack Hamas unimpeded. The Biden administration has restricted the Jewish state’s ability to fight to total and complete victory, forcing Israel to wage a war with one arm tied behind its back. Recent reports of increased recruitment by Hamas mean that Israel has more work to do. Trump is likely to let Israel finish the job, unencumbered by the previous administration’s demands.
Other areas of the world will need Trump’s immediate attention, such as the war launched by Russia on Ukraine in February 2022. Both sides have reason to want to end the fighting, and Trump will likely capitalize on this after he is sworn into office. Chinese aggression towards Taiwan also must end, and Trump will need to take action to protect Taiwan. Additionally, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey has been allowed to run roughshod over U.S. interests in recent years; he cannot be allowed to have unrestricted influence and control over parts of Syria.
As for the United Nations, here too Trump must act. The U.N. Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNWRA) must be defunded immediately. Its staff was complicit with Hamas in October 7 and has ties with the terror group. Further, the whole funding structure of the United Nations must be revisited and made more equitable as the United States carries too much of the financial burden for the international body.
With regards to funding, U.S. support to Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas must be terminated until he guarantees and proves adherence to the Taylor Force Act, ending the “pay for slay” system.
Trump should allow Israel to annex Judea and Samaria, just as he did the Golan Heights during his first term as president. This should be done unconditionally. Israel should also be allowed to reestablish its 22 Gush Katif communities that were closed as part of the so-called Gaza disengagement of 2005. That should never have happened. Trump can correct this mistake by allowing Israel to rebuild these once-flourishing communities.
As president, he will have four years to change America and the world. If history is any indication, his first 100 hours and days in office will likely bring many new efforts.
Dr. Joseph Frager is a lifelong activist and physician. He is chairman of Israel advocacy for the Rabbinical Alliance of America, chairman of the executive committee of American Friends of Ateret Cohanim and executive vice president of the Israel Heritage Foundation.
