Trump Voices Displeasure with Netanyahu After Qatar Strikes

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued a rare public criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Israel launched strikes against Hamas targets in Qatar, a key US ally and mediator in Gaza war negotiations.
Trump stressed that Washington had no prior knowledge of the operation, calling it a unilateral decision by Israel. “This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me,” Trump said in a social media post, adding that he viewed Qatar as a “strong ally and friend of the U.S.”
Speaking to reporters later in Washington, Trump admitted he was “not thrilled” by the incident, saying it risked undermining delicate talks aimed at freeing hostages held by Hamas. He noted that US officials tried to alert Qatari authorities once the attack began, but the warning came too late.
The strike has heightened sensitivities as Qatar hosts both high-stakes ceasefire negotiations and the Al Udeid airbase, a major hub for US forces in the region. The Gulf state also recently gifted Washington a Boeing 747-8 jet for presidential use, raising ethical questions at home.
While reaffirming that eliminating Hamas remained a “worthy goal,” Trump argued that bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign US partner, did not serve American or Israeli interests. He revealed that he has instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to finalize a defense cooperation deal with Doha and assured Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani that such an incident would not recur.
Qatar, which said it had no advance warning of the strikes, denounced the attack. “The call received from an American official came as explosions sounded from the Israeli attack in Doha,” Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari wrote on social media.
Trump’s unusually sharp rebuke of Netanyahu contrasts with his otherwise steadfast support for Israel since returning to office in January. Still, Israeli officials played down tensions, with Ambassador Yechiel Leiter insisting the US and Israel remained united in their goal of defeating Hamas.