In a letter dated January 16 on White House stationery and addressed to President El-Sisi in Cairo, Trump said he “recognize[s] and admire[s]” Egypt’s steady role in managing the regional security and humanitarian fallout since 7 October 2023, adding that the war had “weighed heavily on Egyptians” as well as on those in Israel and Gaza.
Trump then shifted to one of Egypt’s most sensitive strategic files, writing: “I am ready to restart U.S. mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia to responsibly resolve the question of ‘The Nile Water Sharing’ once and for all.”
The letter signals a renewed US interest in a dispute that has shaped regional diplomacy for more than a decade, with Egypt and Sudan repeatedly warning that unilateral filling and operation of the dam could threaten downstream water security, while Ethiopia insists the project is essential for development and electricity generation.
In unusually direct language for presidential correspondence, Trump wrote that the United States “affirms that no state in this region should unilaterally control the precious resources of the Nile, and disadvantage its neighbors in the process” — a formulation likely to be interpreted in Cairo as support for Egypt’s core position that Nile water governance must be based on binding commitments and predictable releases.
Trump argued that with “fair and transparent negotiations” and strong technical expertise, the parties could reach a lasting agreement that guarantees predictable water releases during droughts and prolonged dry years for Egypt and Sudan, while enabling Ethiopia to generate “very substantial amounts of electricity,” some of which could potentially be provided or sold to Egypt and Sudan.
The US president also placed the GERD dispute high on his agenda, linking it to broader efforts to secure long-term regional stability. “Resolving the tensions around the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is at the very top of my agenda, as I work for lasting peace in the Middle East and Africa,” he wrote, adding that he hoped the dam dispute would not lead to major military conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia.
Copies of the letter were also addressed to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed, Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie, and Sudanese leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, suggesting an attempt to widen the diplomatic framework around any renewed negotiations by involving influential regional actors.
It remains unclear when or in what format US mediation would resume, but the letter marks a notable re-entry by Washington into a file widely seen as one of the Horn of Africa’s most consequential flashpoints — and one with direct implications for Egyptian national security, regional power balances, and long-term water stability.
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