When Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, hosts President Trump at a lavish dinner at his palace in Doha on Wednesday night, it is going to be the end result of a profitable attraction offensive by the Gulf emirate that now seems prone to embrace the promise of a luxurious jetliner to Mr. Trump — with no strings connected.
The president, who has described the emir as a “nice gentleman” and a “good friend of mine,” is granting Qatar the glory of internet hosting one of many first overseas visits of his second time period. As for the aircraft, the president says he can be “silly” to not settle for such a pleasant present regardless of loud objections, not solely from Democrats however from a few of his most fervent MAGA supporters.
It’s a dramatic turnaround for a small Persian Gulf nation that Mr. Trump derided eight years in the past as “a funder of terrorism at a really excessive degree.” At the moment, he cooperated with Qatar’s bitter rivals within the area — who imposed a punishing blockade on Doha — in calling for an finish to what he described because the nation’s “extremist ideology.”
Since then, Qatar has continued to try to rework its repute within the world group, partially by spending thousands and thousands of {dollars} on lobbyists in Washington and different capitals. Amongst these lobbyists was Pam Bondi, now Mr. Trump’s lawyer normal.
An enormous a part of Qatar’s picture makeover was its internet hosting of the FIFA World Cup in 2022. A 12 months later, when Hamas-led terrorists attacked Israel and set off months of brutal conflict in Gaza, Qatar turned a vital line of communication between the militant group and Israel.
“What Qatar is making an attempt to do in the present day shouldn’t be solely indulge in its wealth and be delighted by the truth that Trump needs to go to, but additionally form of burnishing itself for having the ability to say, ‘Sure, we’re again,’” stated Simon Henderson, a senior fellow on the Washington Institute for Close to East Coverage.
For Mr. Trump, he stated, the aircraft is necessary “as a result of he likes huge plane and in addition as a result of he needs an identifiable enterprise win — one thing which honors him.”
However the potential for an Air Power One with a Qatari heritage has impressed a backlash amongst Individuals who are usually not as bullish as Mr. Trump about Qatar’s generosity, or its motives.
Not surprisingly, the Senate’s prime Democrat, Chuck Schumer, has objected, vowing on Tuesday to dam all of Mr. Trump’s judicial nominees till the White Home solutions questions in regards to the moral and safety ramifications of the president accepting such a present and utilizing it as his major technique of transportation.
The difficulty has additionally created a uncommon rift between Mr. Trump and the folks on the coronary heart of his political machine.
“Like, please outline ‘America First’ in a manner that claims it’s best to take sacks of money from the Qatari royals,” Ben Shapiro, a number one conservative podcast host, stated sarcastically on his present. “It simply isn’t ‘America First’ in any conceivable manner.”
Laura Loomer, a right-wing influencer who has efficiently pressured Mr. Trump to fireside aides she deemed disloyal to the president, blasted the thought in a number of social media posts.
“We can’t settle for a $400 million ‘present’ from jihadists in fits,” Ms. Loomer wrote on Tuesday.
Qatar has lengthy stated that its funding for Gaza was permitted by Israel, and that the cash went to humanitarian tasks and salaries for civil servants in Gaza. Critics like Ms. Loomer reject that clarification.
She added: “I say that as somebody who would take a bullet for Trump. I’m so upset.”
Mark Levin, the host of a syndicated radio present and a fierce supporter of Mr. Trump, had a one-word response to Ms. Loomer: “Ditto.”
A Qatari official stated no choice had been made about donating the aircraft, and that such a call may very well be weeks or months away. The official stated authorized groups have been reviewing the potential for transferring the aircraft to the U.S. Protection Division.
The difficulty has arisen in opposition to the backdrop of potential enterprise connections. An individual with data of the matter famous that Qatar and Boeing will announce a deal this week by which Qatar says it intends to buy planes from Boeing.
For his half, Mr. Trump has shrugged off the criticism. “Solely a FOOL wouldn’t settle for this present on behalf of our Nation,” he wrote on his Fact Social platform on Tuesday.
The response underscores the truth that many individuals stay skeptical about Qatar and its self-proclaimed transformation.
Critics level out that Qatar’s position as a go-between for the Gaza battle is the results of its willingness to let lots of Hamas’s prime political officers stay there. Qatari officers typically observe that the USA had requested them to host Hamas leaders so there may very well be an open line of communication.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel is among the many nation’s critics. “The time has come for Qatar to cease taking part in either side with its double speak and determine if it’s on the facet of civilization or if it’s on the facet of Hamas barbarism,” Mr. Netanyahu wrote on social media this month.
Nonetheless, Israeli officers confirmed {that a} delegation of negotiators would go to Doha on Tuesday, on the eve of Mr. Trump’s arrival, to renew discussions about ending the conflict in Gaza. Steve Witkoff, Mr. Trump’s chief negotiator within the area, headed to Doha individually to take part within the talks.
Mr. Witkoff has spoken warmly about Qatar, noting that it has repeatedly used its affect with Hamas to interrupt by means of impasses for the reason that conflict started. That led to a number of hostage releases and two cease-fires, the newest of which collapsed in March.
“They’re properly motivated. They’re good, first rate folks,” Mr. Witkoff stated of the Qataris throughout an interview in March with Tucker Carlson. “What they need is a mediation that’s efficient, that will get to a peace objective. And why? As a result of they’re a small nation, they usually wish to be acknowledged as a peacemaker.”
Qatar has labored exhausting to ascertain necessary connections with the USA through the years, together with the sale of liquefied pure fuel, which it has in abundance. It has spent $8 billion to develop the Al Udeid Air Base, which it lets the USA use as a key a part of the American army presence within the area.
The Trump Group, led by the president’s kids, recently agreed to develop a brand new Center East golf course and actual property challenge in Qatar in a deal involving a Qatari government-owned agency. Qatar additionally helped mediate the return of kids to Ukraine who had been taken into Russia following its invasion in 2022.
Three Western diplomats, all of whom requested for anonymity to debate delicate regional diplomacy, stated they believed that whereas the airplane for Mr. Trump was meant to solidify Qatar’s strategic relationship with the USA, it was additionally an try to compete with regional rivals which might be making their very own multibillion-dollar commitments.
Qatar competes fiercely with its a lot bigger neighbors, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Mr. Trump is visiting all three nations throughout his journey to the Center East this week, a sign of equality that has happy officers in Qatar.
Throughout the go to, the emir and different prime Qatari officers are anticipated to have a good time Mr. Trump because the host of the subsequent World Cup in the USA. Mr. Trump is being accompanied to Qatar by Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, soccer’s governing physique.
For a lot of sports activities followers, Qatar was a little-known nation till it secured the World Cup, the most well-liked occasion in world sports activities.
Qatar’s stunning victory within the World Cup bidding context, typically known as one of many dirtiest in sports activities historical past, relied on the tiny, thumb-shaped peninsula wielding the largest weapon it might: money. Qatar, which vigorously denied allegations of bribery within the course of, outspent its rivals, together with the USA, to persuade members of FIFA, a number of of whom would later be indicted on corruption prices, to decide on the desert state as host.
The nation was additionally criticized for its therapy of employees who helped construct and function the World Cup venue. A report in 2024 urged compensation for employees who have been injured and for the households of those that died.
The buildup to the World Cup put Qatar on the map, giving it a prominence it will depend on when going through one of many greatest challenges in its historical past — a dispute with its Gulf neighbors that Qataris seen as a menace to their very existence.
Regardless of its a lot smaller military, Qatar managed to resist a diplomatic and financial blockade that started in 2017, when Saudi Arabia and a number of other different neighbors accused Qatar of supporting terrorism, lower ties and banned Qatar from crossing its land or airspace. The dispute was not resolved till 2021.
In looking for the World Cup, Qatar spent huge quantities on public relations consultants and Western surrogates to make its case. Being the host of the video games and a serious soccer investor supplied a type of safety, with out which it will have been way more weak to the financial harm from the blockade, regional specialists stated on the time.
Qatar, which continues to be a FIFA sponsor, has continued to spend on sports activities and use it for world affect. The businessman Nasser al Khelaifi, a former tennis accomplice of the emir, has develop into one of the vital highly effective males in European soccer.
Regardless of the varied criticisms directed at Qatar, Daniel Benaim, who was deputy assistant secretary of state for Arabian Peninsula affairs below President Joseph R. Biden Jr., known as the connection a worthwhile one for the USA, general.
“None of those international locations have a monopoly on vice or advantage, together with Qatar, and every brings totally different strengths, liabilities, and priorities in terms of advancing a variety of U.S. pursuits,” Mr. Benaim stated.
