Trump No Warning on Israeli Strike in Qatar
Trump Says He Was Not Warned of Israeli Strike on Qatar, Urges Focus on Peace
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said he was not informed in advance of Israel’s strike on Doha, a move that has sparked fresh tensions as Qatar plays a central role in ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Speaking to reporters during a rare public appearance at a Washington restaurant, Trump said he was “not thrilled” with the situation.
“We want the hostages back, but we are not thrilled about the way that went down today,” he remarked.
The strike was particularly sensitive as Qatar is not only mediating negotiations between Israel and Hamas but also hosts a major U.S. military base. The wealthy Gulf nation recently gifted the United States a luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft for Trump’s use, a move that had already stirred ethical debates in Washington.
“This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu; it was not a decision made by me,” Trump clarified in a social media post, emphasizing his view of Qatar as a “strong ally and friend of the U.S.” He added that while eliminating Hamas remained a “worthy goal,” striking inside Qatar risked undermining diplomatic efforts.
In a statement echoing comments from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump warned that unilateral action by Israel could jeopardize peace talks.
“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” he said.
The president revealed that Washington was caught off guard by the attack. According to Trump, the U.S. military notified the White House that the operation was already underway. He said his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, alerted Qatari officials, but the warning came “too late” to prevent the strike.
Trump said he had since spoken with Netanyahu, who reiterated his desire for peace. “I believe this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for peace,” Trump told reporters, while Leavitt confirmed that the president had expressed his concerns directly to the Israeli leader.
The rebuke marked a rare departure from Trump’s otherwise strong support for Netanyahu since returning to office. Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, however, stressed that the two allies remained united. “We have acted together in the past, we’ll act together in the future,” he told Fox News.
As Doha lodged protests, Trump instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to accelerate work on a new defense cooperation agreement with Qatar. He also called Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to assure him that “such a thing will not happen again on their soil.”
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said it had no prior warning of the attack, noting that the first American call arrived only after explosions were already heard in Doha.
The strike comes just months after Qatar was last drawn into regional conflict, when Iran launched missiles at the U.S. Al Udeid airbase near Doha in June, in response to American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
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