Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar
Meshal bin Hamad Al-Thani, Ambassador of Qatar
In 2017, Trump supported a Saudi- engineered attempt to isolate Qatar, backing an anti-Qatar embargo by Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E., and all but accused the Qataris of fomenting terror. Eight months later, the grown-ups in the Trump administration restored some reality to U.S. policy in the Persian Gulf, pointing out that Qatar is host to thousands of U.S. troops on the biggest American military base in the region. In February, the Qatari foreign and defense ministers visited Washington, where they were feted with a lavish reception. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis praised Qatar’s “outstanding support of America’s present and continuing commitment to regional security,” and former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called the super-wealthy desert emirate a “strong partner and longtime friend.” Since then, Trump has welcomed the Emir at the White House and pushed for an agreement to the dispute.
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