When Donald Trump was elected US president in November 2016, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was the first world leader to congratulate him on his win amid rife speculation that the Trump era would herald warmer ties with Egypt. After all, this was the man who as a presidential candidate had called Sisi “a fantastic guy” and had publicly lauded the “chemistry” between them. A little over seven months into Trump’s presidency, the United States has announced it will cut nearly $100 million in economic and military aid and withhold nearly $200 million more in military financing to its key Middle Eastern ally, owing to what it said was Egypt’s poor human rights record.
The controversial US decision took many by surprise, not least the Sisi government, which reacted with shock, confusion and restrained anger. In a statement released shortly after the news was announced, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said it regretted what it called a "misjudgment of the nature of the strategic relations that have bound the two countries for decades.” It further cautioned the cutbacks could yield "negative consequences for the realization of the two countries’ joint interests." The statement did not explain, however, what the repercussions might be.