)
A message echoed from the heart of New York as U.S. President Donald Trump hosted an unprecedented meeting with leaders from eight major Muslim-majority nations during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The symbolic gathering, held at a central table with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan seated beside Trump, has sparked diplomatic speculation.
For the first time, leaders from Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE came together at a high-profile U.S.-hosted meeting. Trump not only praised them but called the Middle East the ‘most important part of the planet’. In today’s DNA episode, Rahul Sinha, Managing Editor of Zee News, analysed the meeting of US President Trump with leaders from eight Muslim nations:
Watch DNA Episode Here:
#DNAWithRahulSinha : दुनिया में मुसलमान-मुसलमान क्यों हो रहा है ? क्या दुनिया में वही होगा जो इस्लाम चाहेगा ?#DNA #NewYork #DonaldTump #ArabCountries | @RahulSinhaTV pic.twitter.com/3SC6JHdWVi
— Zee News (@ZeeNews) September 24, 2025
Muslim Unity
The New York gathering came just days after a landmark meeting in Doha on September 15, where 57 Muslim nations reportedly discussed forming an ‘Islamic NATO’—a joint military alliance.
Shortly after, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a defense pact on September 18, with Pakistan even suggesting it could share nuclear weapons with Saudi Arabia if needed.
Rising Power or Strategic Diplomacy?
While such moves suggest growing unity, statistics reveal that Muslim nations still lag behind Western powers militarily and economically:
Defense Budget: A proposed Islamic NATO would have a combined defense budget of around USD 200 billion—just a quarter of the U.S.’s USD 886 billion.
Active Troops: Muslim countries would jointly have about 2 million active soldiers, while the U.S. alone has 1.4 million and the EU around 1.5 million.
GDP: The combined GDP of Muslim nations is around USD 4 trillion, compared to USD 28 trillion for the U.S. and nearly USD 20 trillion for the EU.
Despite these disparities, the increasing unity and aggressive diplomacy of Islamic nations are being acknowledged even by Western powers.
Recognition Of Palestine And Rising Unrest
European countries are also recalibrating their stance. France, the U.K., Canada, Australia, and Portugal have all formally recognized Palestine as an independent state—despite Trump’s clear opposition to such recognition.
The shift is not merely political but reactive. France’s President Emmanuel Macron has clashed with Trump over the Palestine issue. Meanwhile, cities across Europe—Rome, Milan, Paris, and others—have seen violent pro-Palestine protests, often involving radical elements and Arab refugees.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni refused to recognize Palestine until Hamas is removed from Gaza, sparking street-level chaos.
Shifts And Influence
The growing Muslim population in Europe is another factor behind this diplomatic pivot:
Germany: 7 per cent Muslim population
France: 10 per cent (doubled since 2010)
Britain: 16 per cent Muslim population
The changing demographics, combined with street-level aggression, are forcing Western leaders to rethink their Middle East policies.
A Divided Assembly
At the UN, three parallel forces emerged:
1: The Assertive Islamic Bloc – Calling for a new global order.
2: The West – Struggling between support for Palestine and rising Islamic radicalism.
3: India and Others – Also affected by Islamic extremism and observing the shifting alliances.