US President Trump Signs Executive Order to Defend Qatar Following Israeli Attack
Dubai: US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order pledging to use all measures, including military action, to defend the energy-rich nation of Qatar. However, the exact weight and implications of this pledge remain unclear.
The text of the order, dated Monday but made available on the White House website on Wednesday, appears to be another move by Trump to reassure Qatar amid rising tensions after Israel’s surprise strike targeting Hamas leaders in the country. This strike came at a time when Qatar was considering accepting a ceasefire with Israel over the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.
The executive order highlights the “close cooperation” and “shared interest” between the US and Qatar, vowing to “guarantee the security and territorial integrity of the state of Qatar against external attack.” It states:
“The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty or critical infrastructure of the state of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States. In the event of such an attack, the United States shall take all lawful and appropriate measures – including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military – to defend the interests of the United States and of the state of Qatar and to restore peace and stability.”
Order Follows Netanyahu Apology Call
The order was announced during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington on Monday. During this visit, President Trump arranged a call between Netanyahu and Qatari officials, in which Netanyahu “expressed his deep regret” over an Israeli strike that killed six people, including a member of Qatar’s security forces, according to the White House.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry described the US pledge as “an important step in strengthening the two countries’ close defence partnership.” Meanwhile, the Qatari-funded Al Jazeera news network declared: “New Trump executive order guarantees Qatar security after Israeli attack.”
On Wednesday, Trump also spoke by phone with Qatar’s ruling Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, according to a White House official who spoke anonymously. Details of the conversation were not made public, but Qatar later stated that the two leaders discussed Doha’s efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Questions Remain Over the Pledge’s Scope
The true extent and legal binding nature of the US pledge remain uncertain. Typically, treaties and formal defense agreements require US Senate approval. However, presidents can enter into international agreements without Senate consent, as seen with President Barack Obama’s 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
Ultimately, any decision to undertake military action rests with the sitting US president. This ambiguity has also affected previous security commitments during Trump’s second term, including NATO’s Article 5 guarantees.
Context: Qatar and Regional Security Dynamics
Qatar, a peninsular state in the Persian Gulf, has amassed great wealth through its vast natural gas reserves. It has long been a strategic ally of the US military, hosting the US Central Command’s forward operating base at the large Al Udeid Air Base.
In 2022, US President Joe Biden designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally, acknowledging its support during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Qatar has also maintained close ties with Trump, including collaborations involving his real estate company and the provision of a Boeing 747 as Air Force One.
Following the recent Israeli strike, Saudi Arabia entered into a mutual defense agreement with Pakistan, bringing itself under Islamabad’s nuclear umbrella. It remains unclear whether other Gulf Arab states, concerned about both Israel and Iran—facing renewed UN sanctions over its nuclear program—will seek similar security arrangements with the US or other allies.
“The Gulf’s centrality in the Middle East and its significance to the United States warrants specific US guarantees beyond President Donald J. Trump’s assurances of nonrepetition and dinner meetings,” remarked Bader al-Saif, a history professor at Kuwait University specializing in Gulf affairs.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ’s editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
Source: The White House Executive Order
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