Trump advisers vent anger over how Israel conducted strike in Qatar

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - WASHINGTON — Some advisers to President Donald Trump are angry over Israel’s decision to strike Hamas leaders inside Doha, Qatar Tuesday morning, with many particularly frustrated that they weren’t able to weigh in or warn the Qataris.

Trump was informed of the strike only shortly before it began — and not by Israel itself, but by Chairman of the Joint Staff Gen. Dan Caine, according to a US official. He immediately told White House special envoy Steve Witkoff to brief them, according to another US official. Witkoff has a longstanding relationship with the Qataris.

However, by the time Witkoff was able to reach them, it was too late, a US official told CNN. Adding to the ire, Witkoff had met Monday with one of Netanyahu’s top advisers, Ron Dermer, but was not alerted of the impending strikes during those talks.

“I’m not thrilled about the whole situation. It’s not a good situation. But I will say this, we want the hostages back, but we are not thrilled about the way that went down,” Trump told reporters Tuesday evening. He added that he’d be giving a “full statement” on Wednesday.

Hamas leaders have used the Qatari capital as a headquarters outside of Gaza for years. The strike targeted residential buildings housing several members of the Hamas political bureau, according to Qatar’s foreign ministry.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday afternoon that Trump “immediately directed special envoy Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did.” But Qatar said shortly after her statement it was not informed of the strike in advance. By the time they learned of the attack, bombs could be heard falling in Doha, a senior Qatari official said.

Trump later posted an updated statement on Truth Social that noted Witkoff’s call with the Qataris was “unfortunately too late to stop the attack.” He also took pains to specify that the decision to launch the strike was made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — and was “not a decision made by me.” The statement reflected a deep sense of frustration that Israel was acting against Trump’s own goals for the region.

The day’s events underscored the fragile nature of Trump’s attempts to broker peace in Gaza, his often-frustrating relationship with Netanyahu and his efforts to maintain strong ties with the United States’ allies in the Gulf. The White House’s response to Tuesday’s strikes was carefully calibrated to both distance Trump from Netanyahu’s decision while also avoiding open rupture with Israel, according to a White House official.

Still, it’s not the first time Trump has been surprised and irritated by Israel’s actions outside its own borders — he was similarly caught off guard in July when Israel launched strikes on the Syrian capital Damascus. And he expressed frustration with Netanyahu after Israel struck a Catholic church inside Gaza earlier in the summer.

The fact the strikes occurred in Qatar only contributed to the sense of betrayal inside the White House. Trump became the first sitting US president to visit the country in May, when he underscored the important military ties between the two countries by visiting al-Udeid air base.

Qatar, too, has worked to cultivate Trump — including by gifting the US a luxury Boeing 747 jet to use as Air Force One. — CNN