In the high-stakes arena of Middle East geopolitics, Donald Trump’s second-term strategy toward Qatar emerges as a brilliant exercise in strategic restraint—one that builds directly on the tangled web of Iranian proxy support, intelligence betrayals, and internal Israeli divisions we’ve examined. From Iran’s funding of Palestinian “resistance” via Qatari channels, to the cyber operations of groups like Handala, the October 7 failures, and Israel’s explosive “Qatargate” scandal, a clear pattern reveals Qatar’s role as a duplicitous Islamist regime. Trump, however, is masterfully allowing Doha to overplay its hand: projecting an image of Qatari “wins” through soft media treatment and massive deals, securing billions for America, demonstrating his independence from pro-Israel lobbies, and—crucially—letting Qatar’s own excesses expose its global ambitions without U.S. intervention. Meanwhile, revelations of insider betrayals in Israel, tied to Qatari influence, underscore how Netanyahu was undermined from within, aligning perfectly with Trump’s hands-off approach that lets adversaries implode.
Qatar: An Islamist Regime Using Wealth to Subdue the World
Qatar is fundamentally an Islamist regime with a deliberate strategy to export its ideology and undermine rivals—including the United States—through petrodollar influence. Historically, Qatar has provided significant financial, political, and media support to the Muslim Brotherhood and affiliated groups like Hamas, using entities like Al Jazeera and the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) to promote their Islamist ideology and host leaders, though Doha claims to have curtailed this support to ease regional tensions while still maintaining ties and hosting figures like Hamas leaders. This support, channeled through royal family patronage and state-linked charities, has funded movements and figures designated as terrorists by some nations, leading to accusations that Qatar undercuts its role as a mediator by backing extremist elements.[1] This isn’t neutral diplomacy; it’s a calculated bid to impose Brotherhood-aligned governance globally, buying sway in Western institutions to soften criticism and erode support for secular allies.
In the Iran-Palestine axis, Qatar acts as the polished intermediary, facilitating billions in “humanitarian” aid to Hamas that doubles as terror infrastructure funding, often with Israeli acquiescence under Netanyahu’s flawed “buying quiet” policy.[2] This money—over $2 billion since 2012—helped enable October 7, yet Qatar positions itself as the indispensable mediator, hosting Hamas politburo while Tehran pulls strings from afar.[3]
Trump’s Restraint: Economic Windfalls and Political Cover
Trump’s genius lies in restraint. Rather than confronting Qatar head-on as in 2017, he’s allowed it to bask in perceived victories. The December 2025 Tucker Carlson interview with Qatar’s Prime Minister at the Doha Forum exemplifies this: a respectful platform with minimal pushback on Gaza or Hamas ties, generating no major negative headlines in MAGA circles.[4][5] This contrasts sharply with Carlson’s critiques of Israel, painting Doha as a sophisticated player.
The payoff? Massive U.S. economic gains: Trump’s 2025 deals unlocked over $1.2 trillion in exchanges, including $96 billion in Boeing orders and $45 billion in investments, bolstering American jobs and manufacturing.[6][7] Politically, it counters claims of Trump being “unduly pro-Israel,” showcasing America-first pragmatism amid base frustrations with Gaza.[8] By engaging Qatar—the key Gaza mediator—Trump distances himself from Netanyahu’s orbit without alienating evangelicals entirely.
Self-Exposure and Israeli Betrayal: Qatar’s Overreach Unravels
The masterstroke is passive: Trump lets Qatar spin itself out. Doha’s aggressive influence operations have triggered backlash—renewed EU Qatargate probes, migrant abuse exposés, and Israel’s domestic scandal where Netanyahu’s aides allegedly took Qatari funds to manipulate media and favor Doha in negotiations.[9][10] This “betrayal” ties to October 7: Shin Bet had repeated warnings (including from chief Ronen Bar in July 2023 and on the morning of the attack) but failed to escalate adequately to Netanyahu, who blames Bar for deliberate omission.[11][12] Bar, investigating Qatargate and criticizing Netanyahu’s Qatar policy as enabling Hamas, became a target—Netanyahu pushed his ouster, framing it as battling a “leftist deep state” seeking to topple him.[13][14] Israel’s polarized elites—judiciary, security, opposition—have indeed amplified probes, with protests demanding resignation amid revelations of insider Qatari ties.[15]
These exposures—leaks, arrests, Handala hacks highlighting Iranian-Qatari links—erode Doha’s credibility organically. Trump’s September 2025 security pledge binds Qatar closer while its Islamist facade cracks.[16] No U.S. fingerprints needed.
Conclusion: America Wins by Watching Adversaries Lose
Trump’s Qatar strategy is geopolitical jujitsu: Harvest billions, project balance, and let overreach do the dismantling. As Qatar’s regime pushes Islamist influence—funding Brotherhood networks, hosting extremists, infiltrating Israel—it isolates itself. Netanyahu’s insider sellout via Qatari channels accelerates this, weakening a key rival axis without American effort. In 2026, expect more self-inflicted wounds from Doha, proving Trump’s restraint as the ultimate power play for U.S. supremacy.
Sources
[1] User-provided search result summary on Qatar’s support for Muslim Brotherhood/Hamas (no direct link; based on aggregated reports from sources like Wilson Center and ECFR).
[2] “Qatar Sent Millions to Gaza for Years – with Israel’s Backing.” CNN, December 12, 2023. https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/11/middleeast/qatar-hamas-funds-israel-backing-intl
[3] “The Path to October 7: How Iran Built Up and Managed a Palestinian Axis of Resistance.” Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, December 4, 2023. https://ctc.westpoint.edu/the-path-to-october-7-how-iran-built-up-and-managed-a-palestinian-axis-of-resistance/
[4] Coverage of Tucker Carlson’s interview with Qatar PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Doha Forum, December 2025 (e.g., Iran International reports).
[5] “Iran-Linked Hacker Group Handala Claims Breach…” (contextual overlap); general Doha Forum coverage via outlets like Iran International, December 2025. https://www.iranintl.com/en (search for Doha Forum 2025)
[6] U.S.-Qatar economic deals, May 2025 announcements (e.g., White House fact sheets on Boeing/Qatar Airways deals).
[7] Reports on $96B Boeing order and investments: Wall Street Journal/Reuters coverage, 2025. https://www.wsj.com (search Qatar Boeing deal 2025)
[8] Analyses of Trump’s positioning on Israel/Gaza, 2025 (e.g., Politico, Fox News opinion pieces).
[9] Renewed EU Qatargate developments, 2025 (European Parliament updates).
[10] Israeli Qatargate: Times of Israel, Haaretz, Jerusalem Post reports on arrests of Eli Feldstein and Jonatan Urich. https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/qatargate/ ; https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025 (search Qatargate)
[11] Shin Bet October 7 report and warnings, March 2025. https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-spy-agency-lists-failures-in-preventing-oct-7-attack/
[12] “PM: ‘Fact, Not Conspiracy’ Shin Bet Chief Knew Oct. 7 Attack Likely.” Times of Israel, March 28, 2025. https://www.timesofisrael.com/pm-fact-not-conspiracy-shin-bet-chief-knew-oct-7-attack-likely-didnt-wake-me/
[13] Ronen Bar’s role in Qatargate probe and Netanyahu’s dismissal attempt. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article- (search Ronen Bar Qatargate)
[14] Israeli High Court intervention on Bar’s ouster, April 2025. https://www.timesofisrael.com (search Ronen Bar dismissal)
[15] December 2025 protests amid Qatargate: Haaretz/Ynet coverage. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-12-27/ty-article/.premium/israelis-protest-nationwide-amid-qatargate-revelations
[16] U.S.-Qatar security guarantee announcement, September 2025 (U.S. State Department/White House). https://www.state.gov (search U.S.-Qatar security 2025)
Written with the help of Grok AI.
Writing by Dr. Dannielle Blumenthal 