{"id":2448198,"date":"2025-06-17T07:35:01","date_gmt":"2025-06-17T11:35:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/its-time-for-trump-to-play-hardball-with-qatar\/"},"modified":"2025-06-17T07:36:45","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T11:36:45","slug":"its-time-for-trump-to-play-hardball-with-qatar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/its-time-for-trump-to-play-hardball-with-qatar\/","title":{"rendered":"It&#8217;s Time For Trump To Play Hardball With Qatar"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fits-time-for-trump-to-play-hardball-with-qatar%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2448198&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article outlines President Trump&#8217;s ambitious strategy for the Middle East, which aims to integrate Gulf states into the U.S. ecosystem through economic cooperation and foster alliances between Arab nations and Israel while isolating Iran. Central to this vision is Qatar,a wealthy emirate that has historically leveraged its resources to wield substantial influence globally-especially in the U.S.-often aligning itself with radical Islamist agendas under a guise of diplomacy.<\/p>\n<p>The piece details how Qatar has invested heavily in lobbying, media, and educational institutions to sway public opinion and U.S. policy in its favor, spending nearly $100 billion on such initiatives.Despite hosting a important U.S. military base, Qatar also maintains ties with Iran and has funded groups like Hamas, presenting a complex diplomatic front. It highlights Qatar&#8217;s ongoing ideological alignment with the Muslim Brotherhood and its role in promoting radical Islam.<\/p>\n<p>While Trump envisions economic engagement as a means to pivot Qatar&#8217;s actions, the article questions whether this approach can succeed, suggesting that Qatar&#8217;s long-standing duplicity and support for terrorism pose significant barriers. The author admonishes against confusing financial investments with genuine loyalty or ethical governance, urging Trump to leverage his position to demand accountability from Qatar instead of accepting its assistance uncritically.<\/p>\n<p>the author warns that Qatar&#8217;s actions and motives may not align with U.S. interests and that a failure to address this could allow harmful ideologies to persist unchecked.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>President Trump&rsquo;s vision for the Middle East is bold: bring Gulf states into the U.S. ecosystem through trade, investments, and partnerships; align Arab nations with Israel; isolate Iran, eliminating its nuclear enrichment capability; shift attention to countering China. He believes Qatar, lured by economic deals, will join the Abraham Accords and normalize ties with Israel &mdash; a grand coalition with the capitalist West.<\/p>\n<p>It&rsquo;s audacious. But is it realistic?<\/p>\n<p>For more than 25 years, Qatar &mdash; a tiny Gulf emirate with roughly 300,000 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldometers.info\/world-population\/qatar-population\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">citizens<\/a> and 12 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldometers.info\/gas\/gas-reserves-by-country\/#google_vignette\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">percent<\/a> of the world&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/voters-in-blue-washington-vote-to-block-bans-on-gas-stoves-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Voters in blue Washington vote to block bans on gas stoves ... Washington Examiner\">natural gas &#038;mdash<\/a>; has used its obscene wealth as a geopolitical weapon to buy global power. The goal? Control the narrative, shape Western discourse, and whitewash its radical Islamist agenda behind a diplomatic mask.<\/p>\n<h2>Qatar&rsquo;s American and Global Influence<\/h2>\n<p>This isn&rsquo;t conjecture. It&rsquo;s a sophisticated, calculated, and well-funded campaign. As&nbsp;The Free Press&nbsp;exposed in&nbsp;&ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefp.com\/p\/how-qatar-bought-america\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How Qatar Bought America,&rdquo;<\/a> the influence Qatar gained in the U.S. has no modern parallel. Doha, Qatar&rsquo;s capital, has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iyGW1KiB4eE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">spent<\/a> nearly $100 billion propagandizing U.S. institutions &mdash; Congress, universities, media organizations, think tanks, and corporations. It has transformed Middle East studies programs into Muslim Brotherhood indoctrination mills, radicalizing students against America, Israel, and Jews.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Since 2017, Qatar has spent $225 million on lobbying and public relations in the nation&rsquo;s capital,&rdquo; The Free Press <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefp.com\/p\/how-qatar-bought-america\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>. Additionally, the Free Press <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefp.com\/p\/how-qatar-bought-america\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">found<\/a> that between 2019 and 2023, the Brookings Institution alone received $6 million from Qatar. Top firms like McDermott, Will &amp; Emery, Avenue Strategies, and Mercury Public Affairs (once led by Trump aide Susie Wiles) help push Qatar&rsquo;s messaging, influence U.S. policy, and suppress criticism, The Free Press <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefp.com\/p\/how-qatar-bought-america\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Qatari dollars are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meforum.org\/mef-reports\/america-for-sale-qatars-40-billion-spending-spree-buys-influence-and-control-of-elite-institutions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">everywhere:<\/a> K-12 schools, sports, critical infrastructure, energy projects, Hollywood&rsquo;s Miramax, the Empire State Building, the Plaza, and St. Regis hotels &mdash; the list continues. They&rsquo;ve bought power in both parties. Former New Jersey Democrat Sen. Bob Menendez was recently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-sdny\/pr\/former-us-senator-robert-menendez-sentenced-11-years-prison-bribery-foreign-agent-and\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sentenced<\/a> to 11 years for accepting bribes from Qatar.<\/p>\n<p>Globally, Qatar plays a double game. It hosts <a href=\"https:\/\/greydynamics.com\/al-udeid-air-base-the-largest-us-military-installation-in-middle-east\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Al Udeid<\/a>, America&rsquo;s largest air base in the region, while serving as Iran&rsquo;s diplomatic and energy partner. It <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mideastjournal.org\/post\/how-qatar-became-the-mideast-sponsor-of-hamas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">poured<\/a> more than $1.8 billion into Hamas while posing as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-republicans-face-thorny-challenges-in-afghanistan-withdrawal-investigations\/\" title=\"House Republicans face thorny challenges in Afghanistan withdrawal investigations\">neutral peace broker<\/a>. In the &rsquo;90s, Qatar even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.memri.org\/reports\/qatars-role-911-and-hosting-jihadi-commanders-afghan-talibans-hideouts-move-safe-haven-doha?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sheltered<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/worldviews\/wp\/2017\/07\/25\/uae-touts-film-linking-rival-qatar-to-911-attacks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">funded<\/a> Khalid Sheikh Mohammed &mdash; the 9\/11 mastermind.<\/p>\n<p>In the fall of 2024, the mother of Qatar&rsquo;s ruler <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MarioNawfal\/status\/1847946572581007861\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hailed<\/a> Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar &mdash; the butcher of Oct. 7 &mdash; as a martyr and hero and declared that Israel will cease to exist. Qatar&rsquo;s media arm, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meforum.org\/the-three-faces-of-al-jazeera?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Al Jazeera<\/a>, the global mouthpiece for Islamism, broadcasts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.memri.org\/reports\/qatars-role-911-and-hosting-jihadi-commanders-afghan-talibans-hideouts-move-safe-haven-doha?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">anti-American<\/a>, anti-Israel, and antisemitic propaganda to over 430 million viewers in 150+ countries.<\/p>\n<p>In 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2017\/jun\/05\/saudi-arabia-and-bahrain-break-diplomatic-ties-with-qatar-over-terrorism?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cut ties<\/a> with Qatar over its terror posture. This is who America&rsquo;s doing business with.<\/p>\n<h2>Qatar Supports Islam and Terrorism<\/h2>\n<p>Qatar is hardly moderate. It is ideologically aligned with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.terrorism-info.org.il\/en\/17936\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Muslim Brotherhood<\/a> &mdash; a transnational Islamist movement bent on establishing Muslim world dominance via a global caliphate under Sharia law. Its strategy is simple: ignite chaos, then offer to fix it &mdash; for a price. It wants to appear indispensable to all, but accountable to none.<\/p>\n<p>Trump visited Doha recently and inked headline-grabbing deals: a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/fact-sheets\/2025\/05\/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-historic-1-2-trillion-economic-commitment-in-qatar\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$1.2 trillion economic pact<\/a>, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/business\/2025\/05\/14\/trump-boeing-qatar-airways-jets\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$96 billion Boeing order,<\/a> and major defense contracts. Qatar even gifted the U.S. a plane to use temporarily as Air Force One. The Trump Organization is planning a luxury golf resort near Doha, partnering with a Qatari company.<\/p>\n<p>The Saudis, for all their flaws, have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newarab.com\/news\/saudi-imams-fired-not-warning-against-muslim-brotherhood?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cracked down on<\/a> the Brotherhood, opened to Israel, and <a href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/me\/articles\/saudi-women-law-reforms\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">eased<\/a> some of their hardline policies. Qatar has done none of that.<\/p>\n<p>In 2017, President Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.memri.org\/tv\/president-trump-2017-call-on-qatar-to-end-funding-for-terrorism?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">noted that<\/a> the nation of Qatar &ldquo;has been a funder of terrorism at a very high level.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Today, Trump believes economic engagement and diplomacy can shift Qatar&rsquo;s course. He&rsquo;s using Doha&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >soft power playbook &#038;mdash<\/a>; investments and influence &mdash; to try turning a dangerous actor into an ally.<\/p>\n<p>But the gamble is enormous. Does Trump truly grasp the scale of Qatar&rsquo;s duplicity? Accepting their billions of dollars raises an ideological and moral cost.<\/p>\n<p>While Saudi Arabia crawls toward reform, Qatar continues exporting radical Islam &mdash; gift-wrapped in skyscrapers and Ivy League grants.<\/p>\n<p>Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.audioscrape.com\/podcast\/the-tucker-carlson-show\/episode\/steve-witkoffs-critical-role-in-negotiating-global-peace-and-the-warmongers-trying-to-stop-him?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">interview<\/a> with Tucker Carlson, said, &ldquo;I think you have to trust the Qataris.&rdquo; Qatar&rsquo;s leaders are &ldquo;good, decent people &hellip; people who want to do business.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>But what kind of business, and at what price?<\/p>\n<h2>Trump Has the Leverage<\/h2>\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s endgame &mdash; reducing U.S. military burdens and achieving Arab-Israeli peace &mdash; is noble. But can a regime that funds terrorists and indoctrinates our youth in hatred of our values ever align with the free world, the &ldquo;infidel West?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Based on the evidence, this would be miraculous indeed.<\/p>\n<p>American presidents must stop mistaking money for loyalty or diplomacy for morality. Hosting U.S. troops doesn&rsquo;t grant absolution. Economic deals don&rsquo;t erase terror ties.<\/p>\n<p>If Trump&rsquo;s visit becomes just a PR win for Doha, the message is damaging: buy enough jets, host enough troops, grease enough palms, and anything is forgiven.<\/p>\n<p>Qatar is not a confused ally. It is a highly sophisticated player with a clear, dangerous agenda. That agenda is not ours.<\/p>\n<p>President Trump has the leverage. He must use it &mdash; not to flatter, but to demand accountability. Insist on transparency. Force real change.<\/p>\n<p>If he doesn&rsquo;t, Qatar&rsquo;s friendship will remain exactly what it has always been: a polished performance masking something far darker.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Ziva Dahl is a fellow with the Haym Salomon Center. She has a Master of Arts degree in public law and government from Columbia University and an A.B. in political science from Vassar College.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump aims to integrate Gulf states into the U.S. through trade, align Arabs with Israel, isolate Iran, and counter China. He thinks Qatar will join the Abraham Accords for economic benefits<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3890,"featured_media":2448200,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-13-at-3.31.35%E2%80%AFPM.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3817,36493,52121,7823,3634],"class_list":["post-2448198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-diplomacy","tag-foreign-relations","tag-hardball-2","tag-qatar","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-13-at-3.31.35%E2%80%AFPM.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2448198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3890"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2448198"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2448198\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2448202,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2448198\/revisions\/2448202"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2448200"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2448198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2448198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2448198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}