May 22, 2025 | WSJ Letter to the Editor
There’s No Such Thing as a Free Qatari Lunch
The White House maintains that the deals Mr. Trump secured in the country are a “win for America.” But a win at what cost?
May 22, 2025 | WSJ Letter to the Editor
There’s No Such Thing as a Free Qatari Lunch
The White House maintains that the deals Mr. Trump secured in the country are a “win for America.” But a win at what cost?
Excerpt
Qatar has “managed to diplomatically punch above its weight,” and the strength of the country’s punch comes from many sources beyond the money it sinks into Boeing jets, K Street lobbying firms and elite universities (“Qatar Deploys Gas Riches to Gain Geopolitical Clout,” U.S. News, May 16).
Qatari dollars are everywhere in the U.S., from the highest levels of government to local public schools and youth sports programs. Qatar owns Miramax, the Hollywood film studio behind “Pulp Fiction” and “Good Will Hunting.” It also owns the St. Regis hotels in New York and San Francisco. The list goes on.
Natalie Ecanow is a senior research analyst at FDD focusing on the Middle East and the Gulf.