Legitimising and Delegitimising Military Engagement Abroad: An Inquiry Into U.S. Debates on the Continuity of Intervention in the Middle East

Abstract Given the current instability in the Middle East and America’s traditional role as a mediator, the debate over U.S. engagement in the region is an important indicator of the trajectory of U.S. foreign policy. By examining the discursive framing of this issue in foreign policy debates in the wake of the 2024 presidential election, this article shows that despite Trump’s isolationist impulses, the U.S. will likely continue its policies due to the influence of countervailing framings of the U.S. role.