Trump Meets Qatar PM in NY Amid ’Israel’-Doha Tensions

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump shared dinner with Qatar’s prime minister in New York on Friday, just days after "Israel’s" deadly assault on Hamas leaders in Doha, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio heads to "Israeli"-occupied territories to pledge more support.

"Israel" struck a residential area in Doha targeting Hamas leaders, claiming five members and a Qatari guard. The US denied involvement, though officials were reportedly informed—Qatar says it received no warning.

Since the attack, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, who is also Qatar’s foreign minister, has been engaged in a flurry of diplomatic activity in the US.

Over the Friday dinner meeting, Al Thani and Trump were joined by a top Trump adviser, US special envoy Steve Witkoff.

“Great dinner with POTUS. Just ended,” Qatar’s deputy chief of mission, Hamah Al-Muftah, said on X.

The White House confirmed the dinner had taken place but offered no details.

Ahead of Friday’s dinner, Al Thani also met US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House, where they discussed "Israel’s" strikes and the US-Qatar security partnership.

Qatar, a key US ally and host of the Al Udeid airbase, has played a central role in mediating Gaza ceasefire talks and captive negotiations.

Following the deadly strike, Qatar decried "Israel’s" “cowardly” assault as “state terrorism,” promising to respond to the strikes.

In another statement, Qatar denounced "Israeli" PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s “barbarism”; however, Al Thani said Qatar would not be deterred from its role as mediator.

While the US, which traditionally shields "Israel" on the international stage, joined fellow members of the United Nations Security Council in condemning "Israel" for its attack on Qatar, Rubio was set to travel to "Tel Aviv" this weekend for a two-day visit to reaffirm Washington’s support for the Zionist entity.

The meeting will come ahead of an upcoming UN summit on September 22, where several Western countries plan to recognize a Palestinian state.

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement that during the visit, Rubio will speak to "Israeli" leaders about the US commitment to “fight anti-'Israel' actions,” including recognition of a Palestinian state.

Pigott added that Rubio “will also emphasize our shared goals: ensuring Hamas never rules over Gaza again” and bringing all the captives home.