Why Trump’s Middle East trip is going to be very different this time
Trump is in the Middle East for his first major overseas trip of his second term. Deals are high on his agenda.
Current Access Level “I” – ID Only: CUID holders, alumni, and approved guests only
This website uses cookies as well as similar tools and technologies to understand visitors’ experiences. By continuing to use this website, you consent to Columbia University’s usage of cookies and similar technologies, in accordance with the Columbia University Website Cookie Notice.
Our work is committed to independent and nonpartisan research that meets the high standards of academic integrity and quality at Columbia University.
Our initiatives and programs are designed to address critical needs in key focus areas around energy and climate policy.
Explore our expert insights and analysis in leading energy and climate news stories.
Trump is in the Middle East for his first major overseas trip of his second term. Deals are high on his agenda.
Get the latest as our experts share their insights on global energy policy.
Saudi Arabia’s recent moves into the liquefied natural gas (LNG) market may be a sign the giant oil exporter is looking to expand into a rapidly growing and politically influential market it had long ignored.
Hear in-depth conversations with the world’s top energy and climate leaders from government, business, academia, and civil society.
For years, Japan set aggressive decarbonization targets, positioning itself as a climate leader despite limited domestic resources. But recent geopolitical earthquakes like the ongoing war in Ukraine, increasing...
Find out more about our upcoming and past events.
The relationship between the US and Canada, each of which is the other’s principal source of imported energy, has become increasingly fraught in recent months. Canada and the...
We are the premier hub and policy institution for global energy thought leadership. Energy impacts every element of our lives, and our trusted fact-based research informs the decisions that affect all of us.
Overview
The Center on Global Energy Policy is committed to independent and nonpartisan research that meets the high standards of academic integrity and quality at Columbia University.
What We Do
We advance smart, actionable, and evidence-based energy and climate solutions through research, education, and dialogue.
Our Team
Meet our staff and senior energy experts from government, academia, industry, and nongovernmental organizations.
Former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor
Jon Finer served as President Joseph R. Biden’s principal deputy national security advisor from 2021–25. Prior to joining President Biden’s staff, he was global head of geo-political and policy affairs at Warburg Pincus LLC and an adjunct senior fellow for US foreign policy at the Council on Foreign Relations. Before that, he was chief of staff and director of policy planning at the US Department of State, where he previously served as deputy chief of staff for policy. He also previously worked for four years at the White House, including as senior adviser to then-deputy national security adviser Antony Blinken and as special adviser for the Middle East and North Africa and foreign policy speechwriter for then-Vice President Biden. He first joined the Obama administration in 2009 as a White House Fellow, assigned to the Office of the White House chief of staff and the National Security Council staff.
Prior to entering government service, Finer was a foreign and national correspondent for the Washington Post, where he reported from more than 20 countries. He spent 18 months covering the war in Iraq, first embedded with the US Marines during the 2003 invasion and later based in Baghdad in 2005–06. He also covered conflicts in Gaza (2009), Russia/Georgia (2008), and Israel/Lebanon (2006), as well as the 2004 US presidential campaign, and the 2004 Major League Baseball playoffs.
Finer will simultaneously serve as a Carnegie Distinguished Fellow at SIPA’s Institute of Global Politics.
Get the latest news and research on energy & climate policy.
"(required)" indicates required fields