President Donald Trump has signed an executive order committing the United States to defend Qatar against any armed aggression, a move that effectively creates a NATO-style security pact with the Gulf state and raises profound questions about America’s role in the Middle East.
The order, unveiled this week, states that Washington will regard any attack on Qatar as a direct threat to the United States and will respond with “all lawful and appropriate measures including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military means.”
For Qatar, the sweeping guarantee represents an extraordinary reversal of fortune. Only a few years ago, the country was under an economic and diplomatic boycott by its neighbors. Today, it stands as a pivotal regional player home to the US Al Udeid airbase, the largest in the Middle East, and the diplomatic host for Hamas’s political office. Doha has also positioned itself as a key mediator in conflicts from Gaza to Afghanistan.
The timing is especially notable. Hamas leaders in Doha are currently reviewing Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace proposal, unveiled at the White House earlier this week. Former US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro suggested the executive order was part of a calculated bargain. “Trump’s security commitment to Qatar makes no sense unless they deliver a yes from Hamas or expel them if they refuse,” Shapiro said.
The move follows last month’s outrage in Doha after Israeli airstrikes killed Hamas figures and a Qatari security officer on Qatari soil. Earlier this year, Iran also targeted Qatar in retaliation for US strikes against its nuclear facilities fueling anxiety across the Gulf that America’s longstanding military presence no longer guarantees protection.
Qatar’s foreign ministry welcomed Trump’s order, hailing it as “an important step in strengthening the two countries’ close defense partnership.” Analysts, however, see wider implications. Firas Maksad of Eurasia Group argued the guarantee was meant to calm jittery Gulf allies. “I expect Saudi Arabia and others to seek a similar commitment. The US needs to keep them onside,” he said.
But the pact is already stirring controversy at home. Issued as an executive order, it bypasses Congress and the War Powers Act, raising questions over its legal force. Democrats in Washington are preparing to scrutinize the move, while elements of Trump’s own conservative base have criticized it as a betrayal of his “America First” agenda. Radio host Mark Levin asked pointedly: “If Hamas leaders in Qatar are killed by Israel, are we going to war with Israel?”
Critics also highlight Trump’s personal and business links to the Gulf monarchy. Earlier this year, the Trump Organisation signed a deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar, developed by a company owned by the Qatari government. Watchdog groups warn of potential conflicts of interest, accusing Trump of mixing foreign policy with personal gain. Tony Carrk of Accountable.US said, “Donald Trump apparently wants US taxpayers to foot the bill for military protection of his luxury Qatar golf course.”
The White House dismissed such claims, insisting Trump’s assets are managed in trust and that policy decisions remain independent. Deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said. “There are no conflicts of interest.”
Still, the executive order is seen as a watershed moment, binding the US to a tiny but strategically vital Gulf state, even as Israel escalates strikes beyond its borders and Hamas weighs Trump’s peace plan. For allies and adversaries alike, the guarantee signals a dramatic US commitment with consequences likely to reverberate far beyond Qatar.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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