Trump and Qatar friendship: Not just $400 mn ‘gift diplomacy’, but years of Qatari influence in US, links from Trump’s team

US President Donald Trump is in Qatar and even before he reached Doha, all eyes were glued to his visit as reports floated about a grand gift of a $400 million jet that he would recieve from the Qatari royal family. Amid ethical and legal cocerns about the jet that will be converted to Air Force One, Trump said that he is not a fool to not accept a ‘free gift’. Meanwhile, Qatar’s prime minister defended his country’s offer telling CNN they would not go ahead with the gift if it was deemed illegal and insisted that it was not an effort to wield undue influence within the US.

“It is government to government. The transaction has nothing to do with personnel, whether it’s on the US side or on the Qatari side,” Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani insisted. 

Trump’s bonhomie with the Qatari leadership raises many eyeballs. Democrats have accused the US president of selling America to Qatar and a report by Free Press suggest that many in Trump’s administration has past links with Qatar. 

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Trump’s circle has a Qatari past

• Attorney General Pam Bondi used to work at a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm that received $115,000 a month from Qatar to fight human trafficking, according to a 2019 contract.
• White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, led lobbying firm Mercury Public Affairs when it represented Qatar’s embassy in Washington.
• FBI Director Kash Patel worked as a consultant for Qatar
• Steve Witkoff, president Trump’s longtime friend who  happens to be a beneficiary of Qatar’s largesse: In 2023, Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund bought out his faltering investment in New York’s Park Lane Hotel for $623 million
• Trump organization is planning a new luxury golf resort near Qatar’s capital, Doha, in partnership with a Qatari company
• Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. will speak next week at the invitation-only Qatar Economic Forum in a session titled “Investing in America”

Trump and Qatar: Newfound camaraderie but there are reasons to be cautious

Over the years, Qatar’s investment in America reflect a calculated strategy to deepen both economic and diplomatic relations, however it has also sparked debate about the extent of foreign influence in American policy-making and institutions.

In 2015, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) pledged to invest $35 billion in the U.S. over five years. The focus was on key sectors like infrastructure, real estate, and technology. By 2019, that target increased to $45 billion, aiming to diversify away from heavy investments in Europe. As per reports, the QIA has invested billions in US real estate, particularly in major cities. In New York City alone, it purchased significant stakes in several Manhattan properties. It also backed the large-scale CityCenterDC project in Washington, D.C., and acquired a major office complex in Los Angeles.

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Qatar also spent over $8 billion on infrastructure at Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts US forces. Plans for an additional $10 billion in upgrades are underway. The country has funneled substantial funds into US universities, supporting educational programs and research. Additionally, it became a minority investor in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, owner of several Washington, D.C. sports franchises.

On political front, following tensions during the 2017 Gulf crisis, Qatar ramped up its lobbying presence in Washington, spending millions to shape America’s policy and improve its image. 

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Despite all of its efforts, America has reason to be cautious: Qatar might not be a friend. It is a seat of the Muslim Brotherhood, a crucial source of financing to Hamas, a diplomatic and energy partner of Iran, a refuge for the Taliban’s exiled political leadership – all opposed to US in some way or the other.

While Trump’s Doha trip showed exceptional camararderie between him and the Qatari leadership, it is being taken with a pinch of salt in America’s political circle. The Democrats have criticised Trump with ‘Qatar-a-Lago’ jabs and leaders from his own Republican Party have expressed their disappointment over the proposal of Qatari jet being used as Air Force One.

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Though a Sunni-majority nation, Qatar maintains relatively cordial relations with Iran, sharing ownership of the world’s largest natural gas field. This cooperation stands in contrast to US efforts to isolate Iran diplomatically and economically. It also funds Al Jazeera, a global media network that has been called out by Trump and many in his administration as well as US’ ally Israel.

Qatar attempts to maintain ties with conflicting parties: but its dual-track strategy creates an unpredictable partner whose interests may not always align with Washington’s. Moreover, if reports connecting Qatari investment and Trump’s team’s links to Qatar serve as any precursor to a story, then Trump’s bonhomie with Qatar may not be a new found one, but a well-planned strategy by this Middle Eastern nation to be in the heart of power blocs of DC.