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 will likely be the end result of a profitable allure offensive by the Gulf emirate that now seems prone to embody the promise of a luxurious jetliner to Mr. Trump — with no strings hooked up.
The president, who has described the emir as a “nice gentleman” and a “good friend of mine,” is granting Qatar the respect 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 stage.” 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 fame within the world group, partly by spending tens of millions of {dollars} on lobbyists in Washington and different capitals. Amongst these lobbyists was Pam Bondi, now Mr. Trump’s lawyer common.
A giant 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 battle in Gaza, Qatar turned an important line of communication between the militant group and Israel.
“What Qatar is attempting to do immediately isn’t solely delight in its wealth and be delighted by the truth that Trump desires to go to, but additionally kind of burnishing itself for with the ability to say, ‘Sure, we’re again,’” mentioned Simon Henderson, a senior fellow on the Washington Institute for Close to East Coverage.
For Mr. Trump, he mentioned, the aircraft is vital “as a result of he likes large plane and likewise as a result of he desires an identifiable enterprise win — one thing which honors him.”
However the opportunity of an Air Drive One with a Qatari heritage has impressed a backlash amongst People who will not be 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 concerning the moral and safety ramifications of the president accepting such a present and utilizing it as his main technique of transportation.
The problem has additionally created a uncommon rift between Mr. Trump and the individuals on the coronary heart of his political machine.
“Like, please outline ‘America First’ in a means that claims you must take sacks of money from the Qatari royals,” Ben Shapiro, a number one conservative podcast host, mentioned sarcastically on his present. “It simply isn’t ‘America First’ in any conceivable means.”
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 mentioned 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 disillusioned.”
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 mentioned no resolution had been made about donating the aircraft, and that such a call might be weeks or months away. The official mentioned authorized groups have been reviewing the opportunity of transferring the aircraft to the U.S. Protection Division.
The problem has arisen towards the backdrop of potential enterprise connections. An individual with data of the matter famous that Qatar and Boeing will announce a deal this week through 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 reside there. Qatari officers typically word that the USA had requested them to host Hamas leaders so there might 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 enjoying either side with its double discuss 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 battle 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 because the battle started. That led to a number of hostage releases and two cease-fires, the latest of which collapsed in March.
“They’re nicely motivated. They’re good, first rate individuals,” Mr. Witkoff mentioned 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 purpose. And why? As a result of they’re a small nation, they usually wish to be acknowledged as a peacemaker.”
Qatar has labored arduous to ascertain vital connections with the USA through the years, together with the sale of liquefied pure gasoline, 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 youngsters, recently agreed to develop a brand new Center East golf course and actual property venture in Qatar in a deal involving a Qatari government-owned agency. Qatar additionally helped mediate the return of youngsters 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, mentioned 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 and compete with regional rivals which can 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 following 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 preferred 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 most important 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 expenses, to decide on the desert state as host.
The nation was additionally criticized for its remedy 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 largest 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 several other different neighbors accused Qatar of supporting terrorism, minimize ties and banned Qatar from crossing its land or airspace. The dispute was not resolved till 2021.
In searching 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 significant soccer investor supplied a type of safety, with out which it will have been much more weak to the financial injury from the blockade, regional specialists mentioned 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 grow to be one of the highly effective males in European soccer.
Regardless of the assorted 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, total.
“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 relation to advancing a variety of U.S. pursuits,” Mr. Benaim mentioned.
