A recent military strike by Israel targeting Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, has sparked discontent among President Donald Trump’s advisors. Many are particularly annoyed as they did not receive prior notification to inform the Qatari officials about the impending attack.
According to US officials, Trump learned about the strike just moments before it commenced—not from Israel directly, but via General Dan Caine, who chairs the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Caine directed special envoy Steve Witkoff to relay the news to the Qataris, a process that ultimately proved to be too slow.
By the time Witkoff reached out, the situation had already escalated, leaving no time for any preemptive measures. Compounding the issue, Witkoff had met with Ron Dermer, a high-ranking advisor to Netanyahu, the day before, but without any indication that strikes were forthcoming.
Trump weighed in with reporters, describing his displeasure with the situation. “I’m not thrilled about the whole thing. While we aim to secure the return of hostages, I am not pleased with how it was executed,” he stated. He further promised a detailed statement the following day.
The foreign ministry of Qatar noted that the strike targeted residential buildings that housed members of Hamas’s political bureau, emphasizing their continued presence in the Qatari capital for years despite prior attempts to shelter them outside Gaza.
During a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump had immediately instructed Witkoff to inform the Qataris, although a senior Qatari official countered that they were unaware of the attack’s timing until bomb noise filled the air.
Later, Trump took to Truth Social to clarify that Witkoff’s communication with Qatar was unfortunately tardy, emphasizing that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was solely responsible for the strike decision—maintaining that it was not initiated by him.
This incident highlights the current challenges Trump faces in his diplomatic efforts to secure peace in Gaza, along with the delicate exchanges with Netanyahu and managing US relationships with Gulf allies. The administration’s response appeared carefully crafted to disassociate Trump from Netanyahu while preventing any outright fallout with Israel.
This isn’t the first time Trump has felt blindsided by Israel’s operations beyond its borders. Earlier, he was taken aback when Israel conducted airstrikes in Damascus and expressed his dissatisfaction when they attacked a Catholic church in Gaza.
The choice to carry out operations in Qatar heightened feelings of betrayal, especially for a president who had bolstered US-Qatar military alliances earlier that year by becoming the first sitting US president to visit the nation.
In an interesting twist, Qatar has also made strategic moves to endear itself to Trump, notably by gifting a luxurious Boeing 747 as a showcase of their commitment to US relations.
CNN’s Haley Britzky contributed to this report.
This report has been updated with new information.
