As the U.S. signals a smaller Middle East footprint, Turkey is ready to step in

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a trilateral defense agreement in Mecca on Aug. 7, establishing a "Sunni Security Triad" that pools Saudi oil wealth, Turkish military might and Pakistani nuclear capabilities under Article 5-style collective defense language. The accord signals Turkey's bid to fill a regional power vacuum as the United States signals a reduced Middle East footprint following the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the seven-month war on Iran. Turkey has simultaneously expanded military bases across Somalia, Qatar and Libya while leveraging cultural soft power through television exports and humanitarian projects to deepen regional influence.