How Trump can reset the US-Qatar relationship

Excerpt

There was diplomatic whiplash when President-elect Trump’s transition team reportedly instructed Qatar to summon Hamas leaders back to Doha. Only last month, reports emerged that the Qataris had ousted Hamas after the Biden administration conveyed that the terrorist group’s presence was “no longer acceptable.” The incoming administration apparently wants to revive Gaza ceasefire talks, and fast.

A deal that frees the Gaza hostages would be welcome, but the new administration cannot afford to return to the Biden administration’s Qatar policy, which treated the emirate as a trustworthy ally despite its close ties to Hamas, incitement of anti-Israel hatred, and entanglement in bribery schemes involving senior U.S. and European officials. Trump should make clear that Doha will only remain a U.S. ally if it acts like one.

The Biden administration has taken several steps to position Qatar as an A-list American ally. In January 2022, President Biden designated Qatar as a Major Non-NATO Ally, granting Doha “military and economic privileges” that few other countries enjoy. The administration reinforced Qatar’s status this year when it admitted the emirate to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, allowing Qatari citizens to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa. 

Natalie Ecanow is a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.