The Daily Herold: May 13, 2025 – Trump’s Middle East Playbook, Sanctions Lifted, and Israel Sidelined

In this high-impact episode of The Daily Herold, Jon Herold breaks down President Trump’s game-changing speech in Saudi Arabia, calling it one of the most significant geopolitical addresses of his second term. Jon walks listeners through the key takeaways: a $600 billion Saudi investment in the U.S., the lifting of sanctions on Syria, and the bold framing of Iran as both threat and potential partner. He emphasizes the absence of Israel in Trump’s Middle East realignment, an intentional and telling omission as Trump praises the region’s transformation without Western intervention.

Jon also explores Trump’s rhetorical pivot away from regime-change policies and his declaration that “nation builders wrecked more nations than they built.” Clips from the speech highlight Trump’s call for regional self-governance, an end to permanent enemies, and a “golden age” for both America and the Middle East. Herold connects these themes to long-standing Badlands narratives, including the sovereign alliance, devolution, and the Abraham Accords, hinting that Saudi Arabia may soon join.

Beyond the Middle East, Jon dives into domestic policy, including Trump’s executive order slashing drug prices, backlash from Thom Tillis and Big Pharma allies, and new subpoenas targeting California’s alleged misuse of federal funds for illegal immigrants. He also unpacks Trump’s evolving role in crypto, criticisms of his Qatari jet gift, and explosive revelations from Jake Tapper’s new book exposing Biden’s declining health and internal campaign chaos.

With sharp analysis, media callouts, and plenty of sarcastic jabs, Jon weaves together narrative warfare, foreign policy shifts, and political theater in what may be Trump’s clearest roadmap to peace, and power, yet.