THE NATIONAL INTEREST
Following Israel’s Strike in Qatar, Trump Should Reset the US-Qatar Relationship
Natalie Ecanow
September 17, 2025

Washington can’t seem to quit Qatar. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made that much clear when he departed Israel for Doha on September 15. Speaking to members of the press, Rubio doubled down on the administration’s view that “Qatar can play a very key role” in negotiating an end to the war in Gaza. Nearly two years have passed since the White House tapped Doha to mediate between Hamas and Israel. Despite repeated failures at the negotiating table, successive US administrations have refused to sideline Qatar, a longtime sponsor of Hamas that has repeatedly  blamed Israel for the war the terrorist group started. Israel issued a stark reminder of the patronage Qatar has offered Hamas when it targeted the terror group’s leadership in Doha on September 9. READ MORE