Velvet carpets, exquisite state dinners, Arabian horses and Cybertrucks motorcades – it is impossible to overstate the over-the-top display of opulence and luxury that flanks President Trump at every step of his trip to the region. As in his first term, Trump gave the Saudis and the Gulf states the honor of his inaugural overseas trip. In return, they lavished him with royal gestures, grandeur, and cash – securing eye-popping landmark contracts totaling potentially over $3 trillion.

This breathtaking extravaganza did little to gaslight a broad range of critics, though. Some on the left expressed concern about these deepening economic ties between the US and countries with a checkered human rights record, and raised eyebrows at the 747-plane offered as a gift by Qatar; some on the right reminded the President of the Saudis’ involvement in the 9/11 attacks and Doha’s less-than-ideal ties to terrorism. On the Israel front, however, many rushed to conclude that the President has snubbed Israel in favor of a love affair with some of its rogue neighbors, especially those who harbored Hamas’ leadership and harshly condemned Israel over the course of this war.

The truth, however, transcends all of these concerns. Trump executed an impressive…