ARGUING YES
President & Founder of Ideas Beyond Borders
ARGUING NO
President & CEO of the Middle East Broadcasting Network
GUEST MODERATOR
Geopolitical Strategist; Principal at Wickett Advisory; Trustee of Transparency International UK
This week:
- New episode: Will President Trump’s changes in favor of hard power lead to big consequences for the Middle East?
- A closer look at how the U.S. is doing on maintaining soft power
- Your Sunday reading list
This week on Open to Debate, guest moderator Xenia Wickett, an expert on geopolitical risk, brings listeners into a conversation that goes deeper than politics—it’s about how America tells its story to the world, and what happens when the audience for that story begins to erode, a question especially resonant in the Middle East right now.
So, you are getting a rare glimpse into the inner workings of U.S. soft power from the people who have lived it, built it, and are now debating its future. Our debaters come into the conversation with firsthand insight into how America’s message is made, funded, and received on the ground.
Faisal Saeed Al Muttar, President and Founder of Ideas Beyond Borders, a nonprofit platform for advancing free market thought, innovation, and policy reform in the Arab world, argues that Trump was right to scale back soft power in the region. As someone who grew up in Iraq consuming U.S.-funded media, he’s seen how billions spent on public diplomacy would miss the mark—or worse, backfire. He once worked with the very programs he now questions.
Jeffrey Gedmin, President of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, takes an opposing view. He’s not just defending soft power—he’s running one of its most visible platforms. From Radio Free Europe to U.S.-funded Arabic television, Gedmin brings decades of field-tested experience and a clear-eye view of its limitations and necessity.
As the U.S. recalibrates its role in a region shaped by war, authoritarian resurgence, and new global rivals, this debate offers thoughtful reflection on what influence really looks like—and whether it can (or should) be saved, with a special focus on the Middle East.
At Open to Debate, we care deeply about America’s global footprint, particularly when storytelling is involved. Join us to see who makes the compelling case for the use of American resources by listening on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and NPR. As always, let us know what you think.
DEBATING THE DATA
Could new foreign policy moves drive a decline in soft power?
POINT/COUNTERPOINT
Was Trump Right to Be Hard on Soft Power in the Middle East?
YES: Faisal Saeed Al Mutar
“The United States has spent since the Cold War roughly about 30 to 40 billion dollars, and the Middle East today is more closed, more authoritarian, and more people hate America.”
NO: Jeffrey Gedmin
“Often, perhaps not always, as they say, imperfect action trumps perfect inaction. So whatever the litany of complaints and criticism are… quitting, stopping, surrendering, packing up, going home is not a very compelling option.”
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