Dr. Imad Ghannoum Visits ICGER: A Meeting with Dr. Youssef and a Thought-Provoking Exchange
On Friday, November 8, 2024, ICGER held an internal roundtable at its Beirut headquarters titled “Middle East Issues Amid the Return of the Trump Administration,” led by the Center’s president, Dr. Mohammad Walid Youssef.
The event brought together department heads, geopolitical division leaders, and guests. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Imad Ghannoum, who opened by highlighting the rapid geopolitical shifts currently unfolding in the Middle East, particularly in light of the ongoing war in Gaza and the evolving situation in Lebanon.
Dr. Ghannoum noted that this session marks the first in a series of discussions with Dr. Youssef aimed at unpacking the global repercussions of Donald Trump’s return to office, with his inauguration set for January 20, 2025.
Dr. Youssef began his presentation by outlining the key differences between Trump’s first term (2017–2021) and what the world might expect from a second term. He also emphasized the importance of closely monitoring specific developments during the transitional period leading up to Trump’s official return to the White House.
He went on to analyze the current geopolitical realities across the Middle East, beginning with the Gaza war, and moving through Turkey, Iran, the Gulf states, Syria, and Iraq. Dr. Youssef announced that subsequent sessions would address the geopolitical implications of Trump’s return in other regions, including Southeast Asia, Europe, Russia, Africa, and Latin America.
The roundtable concluded with an open exchange, as participants posed questions, shared observations, and received detailed responses and commentary from Dr. Youssef.
