FILE PHOTO: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump on the day of the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo
Discussing President Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East, senior foreign policy journalist Michael Weiss said that Trump wants to transform the United States into a version of authoritarianism similar to that practiced by the dictators with whom he appears to be cordial.
"Don't discount the fact what Donald Trump sees in these dictators and these autocrats and these strongmen is exactly what he would like to do in the United States," Weiss said on the Bulwark's podcast with host Tim Miler. "He wants to turn the United States into a version of this," he added.
On Wednesday, Trump requested Qatar’s emir, a close ally of the Iranian government, to help him find a solution to the Iran situation.
READ MORE: Trump biographer reveals 'head-smacking' detail about Trump and Melania's marriage
“I hope you can help me with the Iran situation,” Trump told the emir, who was beside him in a dining room in Doha. Trump has been facing criticism for accepting a $400 million jet as a gift from Qatar.
On Tuesday, Trump said he had "never believed in having permanent enemies,” during a speech at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum in Riyadh. “I am different than a lot of people think," he added.
Trump's message to the audiences in the Middle East has been that he is ready to move beyond past conflicts in pursuit of peace and economic gain.
During the same speech, Trump revealed plans to lift U.S. sanctions on Syria, offering potential economic relief to a nation long plagued by dictatorship, civil war, terrorism, and the effects of global isolation.
READ MORE: 'Be quiet!' Inside the 5 most explosive moments from Kristi Noem's 'laughable' testimony
“The sanctions were brutal and crippling and served as an important — really, an important function, nevertheless, at the time,” Trump said of Syria, adding: “But now, it’s their time to shine.”
Trump also held a meeting in Riyadh with Syria’s new president Ahmed al-Shara, who previously had affiliations with Al Qaeda. His rebel faction is officially labeled a terrorist group by the U.S. (although the government has since withdrawn a $10 million bounty on him).
Criticizing Trump's engagements in the Middle East during the podcast released Thursday, Miller said there was a "little bit of humiliating element to this," because Trump has long said the U.S should not allow other nations to "take advantage" of the country.
"He is lavishly tossing MBS's salad, giving old leftovers from Qatar. We've got natural gas. We got oil. What's the point of this?" Miller asked.
"Trump is fully prostrate on the ground," he added.