Brian Katulis
@briankatulis.bsky.social
Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute,
Host of “Taking the Edge Off the Middle East,” and
Author of “Making Sense: A Regular Take on US Foreign Policy”
https://open.spotify.com/show/5U61LmZnEAdqI7s9chd9lb
Host of “Taking the Edge Off the Middle East,” and
Author of “Making Sense: A Regular Take on US Foreign Policy”
https://open.spotify.com/show/5U61LmZnEAdqI7s9chd9lb
It was a pleasure hosting Faisal J. Abbas on my podcast!
We discussed his impressions of MBS's visit to Washington and the opportunities it presents for US-Saudi relations, the Kingdom's transformation over the past decade, and its relationships with key partners.
www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
We discussed his impressions of MBS's visit to Washington and the opportunities it presents for US-Saudi relations, the Kingdom's transformation over the past decade, and its relationships with key partners.
www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
November 22, 2025 at 5:38 PM
It was a pleasure hosting Faisal J. Abbas on my podcast!
We discussed his impressions of MBS's visit to Washington and the opportunities it presents for US-Saudi relations, the Kingdom's transformation over the past decade, and its relationships with key partners.
www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
We discussed his impressions of MBS's visit to Washington and the opportunities it presents for US-Saudi relations, the Kingdom's transformation over the past decade, and its relationships with key partners.
www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
Intissar Fakir and I had a great time hosting a class from the University of North Florida, taught by my friend and former co-author Amb. Nancy Soderberg, at the Middle East Institute yesterday!
November 21, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Intissar Fakir and I had a great time hosting a class from the University of North Florida, taught by my friend and former co-author Amb. Nancy Soderberg, at the Middle East Institute yesterday!
Richard Fontaine and I discuss Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's November 2025 visit to Washington, Saudi Arabia's emergence as a key "swing state," and what this means for the US-Saudi relationship.
Watch the full podcast episode here: www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
Watch the full podcast episode here: www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
November 18, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Richard Fontaine and I discuss Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's November 2025 visit to Washington, Saudi Arabia's emergence as a key "swing state," and what this means for the US-Saudi relationship.
Watch the full podcast episode here: www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
Watch the full podcast episode here: www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
What to expect when President #Trump meets #Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this week?
Richard Fontaine of CNAS & I talk about Saudi Arabia's role as a key "swing state" in geopolitics on the latest episode of "Taking the Edge Off the Middle East"
www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
Richard Fontaine of CNAS & I talk about Saudi Arabia's role as a key "swing state" in geopolitics on the latest episode of "Taking the Edge Off the Middle East"
www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
November 17, 2025 at 9:01 PM
What to expect when President #Trump meets #Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this week?
Richard Fontaine of CNAS & I talk about Saudi Arabia's role as a key "swing state" in geopolitics on the latest episode of "Taking the Edge Off the Middle East"
www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
Richard Fontaine of CNAS & I talk about Saudi Arabia's role as a key "swing state" in geopolitics on the latest episode of "Taking the Edge Off the Middle East"
www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
The US-Saudi bilateral relationship has become a cornerstone of Trump's overall Middle East policy, which is why we can expect continued steps to deepen those ties.
My latest piece for Al Majalla
My latest piece for Al Majalla
US-Saudi ties are the cornerstone of Trump’s Mideast policy
When Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits the White House to meet with US President Donald Trump on 18 November, there will be no shortage of issues for the two leaders to discuss
en.majalla.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:19 PM
The US-Saudi bilateral relationship has become a cornerstone of Trump's overall Middle East policy, which is why we can expect continued steps to deepen those ties.
My latest piece for Al Majalla
My latest piece for Al Majalla
Come one, come all!
Looking forward to hosting Taking the Edge Off's first live podcast recording with Hisham Melhem next week at our alma mater, Villanova University!
Looking forward to hosting Taking the Edge Off's first live podcast recording with Hisham Melhem next week at our alma mater, Villanova University!
November 7, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Come one, come all!
Looking forward to hosting Taking the Edge Off's first live podcast recording with Hisham Melhem next week at our alma mater, Villanova University!
Looking forward to hosting Taking the Edge Off's first live podcast recording with Hisham Melhem next week at our alma mater, Villanova University!
If Trump can't do his basic job of keeping the US government open & bridge gaps between Republicans and Democrats - it's hard to see him bridging divides between Israelis, Palestinians, Saudis, & Iranians.
My latest take on US policy for Middle East Institute
My latest take on US policy for Middle East Institute
Divisions at home hinder America’s ambitions abroad
Over the past week, US President Donald Trump made an extended trip to Asia and threatened military actions against Latin American and African countries. But despite his administration's continuing am...
www.mei.edu
November 6, 2025 at 2:57 PM
If Trump can't do his basic job of keeping the US government open & bridge gaps between Republicans and Democrats - it's hard to see him bridging divides between Israelis, Palestinians, Saudis, & Iranians.
My latest take on US policy for Middle East Institute
My latest take on US policy for Middle East Institute
Looking forward to joining the Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council this coming Thursday, November 6, to discuss Trump 2.0's foreign policy approach 10 months in, based on my latest report card, which you can read here: lnkd.in/eY3JauVc
Event details are in the link below!
Event details are in the link below!
SECWAC Hosts Middle East Institute Senior Fellow for Talk on ‘Trump 2.0 Middle East Policy: Promise and Peril,’ Thursday
lymeline.com
November 5, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Looking forward to joining the Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council this coming Thursday, November 6, to discuss Trump 2.0's foreign policy approach 10 months in, based on my latest report card, which you can read here: lnkd.in/eY3JauVc
Event details are in the link below!
Event details are in the link below!
On the latest episode of my podcast, Mara Rudman shares lessons learned from her time serving in the Obama and Clinton administrations and what it means for future U.S. engagement abroad, with anecdotes of her time working with world leaders and U.S. policymakers.
Tune in: lnkd.in/e7_zUfk6
Tune in: lnkd.in/e7_zUfk6
November 4, 2025 at 6:58 PM
On the latest episode of my podcast, Mara Rudman shares lessons learned from her time serving in the Obama and Clinton administrations and what it means for future U.S. engagement abroad, with anecdotes of her time working with world leaders and U.S. policymakers.
Tune in: lnkd.in/e7_zUfk6
Tune in: lnkd.in/e7_zUfk6
Reposted by Brian Katulis
My reflections on a recent visit to Lebanon and Syria in @foreignpolicy.com
Those poor little kids...
Those poor little kids...
For Syrian Refugees, U.S. Aid Cuts Have Been Devastating
Many face a tough choice—remain in squalid camps or return to a troubled homeland.
foreignpolicy.com
October 28, 2025 at 12:20 PM
My reflections on a recent visit to Lebanon and Syria in @foreignpolicy.com
Those poor little kids...
Those poor little kids...
Trump's Middle East policy at the 9-month mark: Grades for the quarter are in!
My latest assessment on how Trump 2.0 is handling the region overall.
Read the full report here: www.mei.edu/publications...
My latest assessment on how Trump 2.0 is handling the region overall.
Read the full report here: www.mei.edu/publications...
October 27, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Trump's Middle East policy at the 9-month mark: Grades for the quarter are in!
My latest assessment on how Trump 2.0 is handling the region overall.
Read the full report here: www.mei.edu/publications...
My latest assessment on how Trump 2.0 is handling the region overall.
Read the full report here: www.mei.edu/publications...
Coming soon!
Quarterly grades in my report card on how Trump 2.0 is handling U.S. Middle East policy at the 9-month mark.
I give a preview to Alistair Taylor & Matthew Czekaj on the Middle East Institute's podcast Middle East Focus.
Tune in here:
mei.edu/multimedia/p...
Quarterly grades in my report card on how Trump 2.0 is handling U.S. Middle East policy at the 9-month mark.
I give a preview to Alistair Taylor & Matthew Czekaj on the Middle East Institute's podcast Middle East Focus.
Tune in here:
mei.edu/multimedia/p...
Trump 2.0 and the Middle East: Taking Stock of the First Nine Months
In this episode of Middle East Focus, hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj speak with MEI Senior Fellow Brian Katulis about US policy in the Middle East under Donald Trump’s second administration....
mei.edu
October 24, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Coming soon!
Quarterly grades in my report card on how Trump 2.0 is handling U.S. Middle East policy at the 9-month mark.
I give a preview to Alistair Taylor & Matthew Czekaj on the Middle East Institute's podcast Middle East Focus.
Tune in here:
mei.edu/multimedia/p...
Quarterly grades in my report card on how Trump 2.0 is handling U.S. Middle East policy at the 9-month mark.
I give a preview to Alistair Taylor & Matthew Czekaj on the Middle East Institute's podcast Middle East Focus.
Tune in here:
mei.edu/multimedia/p...
It's great to be back in Louisville!
Thanks to Bill Burton with @lpm.org for having me on the program to talk about some of the things we'll be discussing with @drfarley.bsky.social in a program by World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana this evening.
www.lpm.org/news/2025-10...
Thanks to Bill Burton with @lpm.org for having me on the program to talk about some of the things we'll be discussing with @drfarley.bsky.social in a program by World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana this evening.
www.lpm.org/news/2025-10...
A Middle East expert speaks in Louisville on the US-Israel relationship
Middle East expert Brian Katulis spoke with LPM’s Bill Burton about how the U.S. affects the region
www.lpm.org
October 23, 2025 at 9:04 PM
It's great to be back in Louisville!
Thanks to Bill Burton with @lpm.org for having me on the program to talk about some of the things we'll be discussing with @drfarley.bsky.social in a program by World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana this evening.
www.lpm.org/news/2025-10...
Thanks to Bill Burton with @lpm.org for having me on the program to talk about some of the things we'll be discussing with @drfarley.bsky.social in a program by World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana this evening.
www.lpm.org/news/2025-10...
How Marvin Weinbaum's personal conviction & intellectual curiosity have shaped his life’s work spanning 5 decades of impacting policy debates on #Afghanistan, #Pakistan, #Iran, #Egypt & beyond
Latest episode of #EdgeofftheMiddleEast
The episode is out on all platforms: www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
Latest episode of #EdgeofftheMiddleEast
The episode is out on all platforms: www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
October 23, 2025 at 8:42 PM
How Marvin Weinbaum's personal conviction & intellectual curiosity have shaped his life’s work spanning 5 decades of impacting policy debates on #Afghanistan, #Pakistan, #Iran, #Egypt & beyond
Latest episode of #EdgeofftheMiddleEast
The episode is out on all platforms: www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
Latest episode of #EdgeofftheMiddleEast
The episode is out on all platforms: www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...
True leadership in America and Israel would look beyond the management of the current crisis to define and pursue a clearer, more positive outcome through diplomacy, rather than more conflict and war.
My latest analysis of Trump 2.0's performance on the Israeli-Palestinian front
My latest analysis of Trump 2.0's performance on the Israeli-Palestinian front
The current Israeli-Palestinian nightmare is a result of multiple failures of leadership
The unresolved crises unfolding on the Israeli-Palestinian front — a growing humanitarian disaster inside of Gaza, the horrific images of emaciated Israelis held hostage by terrorists in the coastal s...
www.mei.edu
August 6, 2025 at 7:35 PM
True leadership in America and Israel would look beyond the management of the current crisis to define and pursue a clearer, more positive outcome through diplomacy, rather than more conflict and war.
My latest analysis of Trump 2.0's performance on the Israeli-Palestinian front
My latest analysis of Trump 2.0's performance on the Israeli-Palestinian front
Trump's foreign policy at a temporary & fragile limbo in the Middle East
My latest weekly analysis on U.S. foreign policy for
Middle East Institute:
My latest weekly analysis on U.S. foreign policy for
Middle East Institute:
Trump’s Middle East policy arrives at a temporary and fragile limbo
Domestic politics has taken center stage in the United States as Congress struggles to pass President Donald Trump’s proposed budget plan. But July is also shaping up as a pivotal month for Trump’s fo...
mei.edu
July 3, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Trump's foreign policy at a temporary & fragile limbo in the Middle East
My latest weekly analysis on U.S. foreign policy for
Middle East Institute:
My latest weekly analysis on U.S. foreign policy for
Middle East Institute:
Thanks to Stephanie Turco Williams for coming on "Taking the Edge Off the Middle East."
We discussed her new book, Libya Since Qaddafi: Chaos and the Search for Peace and also talked about her decades of experience as a senior diplomat with the U.S. Department of State and United Nations.
We discussed her new book, Libya Since Qaddafi: Chaos and the Search for Peace and also talked about her decades of experience as a senior diplomat with the U.S. Department of State and United Nations.
How US Policy Is Taking Shape – From Libya To Iran
Stephanie Williams, former US diplomat and deputy head of the UN mission in Libya, sits down with Brian Katulis for a wide-ranging conversation about what’s happening in the Middle East today. They ta...
www.mei.edu
July 3, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Thanks to Stephanie Turco Williams for coming on "Taking the Edge Off the Middle East."
We discussed her new book, Libya Since Qaddafi: Chaos and the Search for Peace and also talked about her decades of experience as a senior diplomat with the U.S. Department of State and United Nations.
We discussed her new book, Libya Since Qaddafi: Chaos and the Search for Peace and also talked about her decades of experience as a senior diplomat with the U.S. Department of State and United Nations.
From Tehran to Gaza - former Israeli national security advisor Eyal Hulata of Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) joins me on "Taking the Edge Off the Middle East" podcast Middle East Institute:
From Tehran to Gaza with Eyal Hulata
This episode was originally recorded on June 9, 2025, featuring a wide-ranging conversation with Eyal Hulata—Israel’s former National Security Advisor—about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, hi...
www.mei.edu
June 25, 2025 at 8:04 PM
From Tehran to Gaza - former Israeli national security advisor Eyal Hulata of Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) joins me on "Taking the Edge Off the Middle East" podcast Middle East Institute:
My assessment of the U.S. strikes on Iran for my weekly column, "Making Sense," with Middle East Institute:
Three essential questions to ask in the aftermath of America’s attack on Iran
This past Monday, after 12 days of war, Israel and Iran agreed to a cease-fire brokered by the US and Qatar. Three key questions presently loom over US policy on Iran and the wider Middle East.
www.mei.edu
June 25, 2025 at 8:02 PM
My assessment of the U.S. strikes on Iran for my weekly column, "Making Sense," with Middle East Institute:
Check out my last podcast episode with Ambassador Dina Kawar, Jordan’s Ambassador to the United States.
This one was a special episode for me - the ambassador is a friend, and I have a personal connection to Jordan, where I lived and studied on a Fulbright scholarship from 1994 to 1995.
This one was a special episode for me - the ambassador is a friend, and I have a personal connection to Jordan, where I lived and studied on a Fulbright scholarship from 1994 to 1995.
Jordan’s Role in a Region in Crisis: A Conversation with Ambassador Dina Kawar
Ambassador Dina Kawar, Jordan’s Ambassador to the United States, joins host Brian Katulis for a wide-ranging conversation on Jordan’s efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, its bilateral ...
mei.edu
June 12, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Check out my last podcast episode with Ambassador Dina Kawar, Jordan’s Ambassador to the United States.
This one was a special episode for me - the ambassador is a friend, and I have a personal connection to Jordan, where I lived and studied on a Fulbright scholarship from 1994 to 1995.
This one was a special episode for me - the ambassador is a friend, and I have a personal connection to Jordan, where I lived and studied on a Fulbright scholarship from 1994 to 1995.
America: trouble ahead, trouble behind
My latest weekly take on U.S. foreign policy, with a heavier dose on what's happening at home this week:
My latest weekly take on U.S. foreign policy, with a heavier dose on what's happening at home this week:
America moves closer to the brink of maximum uncertainty at home and abroad
The spotlight in America this week is trained on the home front, with growing tensions inside the country over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and a showdown unfolding on the streets of...
www.mei.edu
June 12, 2025 at 2:24 PM
America: trouble ahead, trouble behind
My latest weekly take on U.S. foreign policy, with a heavier dose on what's happening at home this week:
My latest weekly take on U.S. foreign policy, with a heavier dose on what's happening at home this week:
Check out the latest episode of my podcast with Fahad Nazer!
We discuss the evolving US-Saudi relationship amid unprecedented regional volatility, the deepening crisis in Gaza, and broader international engagement to address the humanitarian catastrophe and prevent further regional escalation.
We discuss the evolving US-Saudi relationship amid unprecedented regional volatility, the deepening crisis in Gaza, and broader international engagement to address the humanitarian catastrophe and prevent further regional escalation.
Is the Two-State Solution Still Viable? Saudi Spokesperson Fahad Nazer Makes the Case.
In this episode of Taking the Edge Off the Middle East, host Brian Katulis sits down with Fahad Nazer, spokesperson for the Saudi Arabian Embassy in the US, to discuss the evolving US-Saudi relationsh...
www.mei.edu
May 28, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Check out the latest episode of my podcast with Fahad Nazer!
We discuss the evolving US-Saudi relationship amid unprecedented regional volatility, the deepening crisis in Gaza, and broader international engagement to address the humanitarian catastrophe and prevent further regional escalation.
We discuss the evolving US-Saudi relationship amid unprecedented regional volatility, the deepening crisis in Gaza, and broader international engagement to address the humanitarian catastrophe and prevent further regional escalation.
Back in Black by AC/DC at Princeton reunion fireworks
May 25, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Back in Black by AC/DC at Princeton reunion fireworks
Iran may be the most important test of Trump 2.0's foreign policy template:
Three issues to watch in Trump’s emerging Iran policy approach
The biggest development this past week in the Middle East policy of Trump’s second administration was the initiation of talks between the United States and Iran. This small sign of hope for diplomatic...
www.mei.edu
April 18, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Iran may be the most important test of Trump 2.0's foreign policy template:
My latest "Making Sense" weekly take on U.S. foreign policy with the Middle East Institute -
Trump’s whirlwind of uncertainty and chaos hits the global economy and the Middle East
US President Donald Trump surprised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by publicly announcing “direct” talks between the United States and Iran set to take place later this week. The American p...
www.mei.edu
April 10, 2025 at 4:04 PM
My latest "Making Sense" weekly take on U.S. foreign policy with the Middle East Institute -