“The United States will consider any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States itself,” the order, approved by President Trump and released by the White House on October 1, stated.
The directive makes clear that, in the event of an assault on Qatar, the U.S. will pursue “all lawful and appropriate measures—diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military—to safeguard the interests of Washington and Doha.”
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the move. The enhanced U.S. security guarantee comes after Israel, a key American ally in the region, carried out an airstrike on September 9 targeting Hamas leaders in Doha. Qatar has played a crucial mediating role in negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
According to Axios, Trump was furious over the strike and pressed Israel to apologize to Qatar and accept a peace framework for the Gaza conflict. On September 29, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called his Qatari counterpart from the White House, expressing “deep regret” over the incident and pledging it would not happen again.
Qatar remains a vital U.S. ally in the Gulf, hosting Washington’s largest military base in the region. Al-Udeid Air Base serves as the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations across the Middle East.
Since Trump’s return to the White House, Doha has worked to strengthen ties with his administration. In May, the President visited Qatar during his first major foreign trip of his second term. As a gesture of goodwill, Doha also gifted Washington a luxurious Boeing 747-8 to serve as Air Force One while awaiting the delivery of a newly commissioned presidential aircraft.