In a rare rebuke of Israel, Donald Trump said he was “not thrilled” with the strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, insisting the decision came from Netanyahu, not him — and stressing that Qatar remains a close US ally.?
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday voiced sharp disapproval of Israel’s unprecedented strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, calling it a serious misstep that endangered fragile regional diplomacy.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said:
“I’m not thrilled about it. I’m not thrilled about the whole situation. It’s not… not a good situation. We want the hostages back. But we are not thrilled about the way that went down today. I was very unhappy about every aspect.”
Asked if the strike caught him off guard, Trump replied:
“I’m never surprised by anything, especially when it comes to the Middle East. But I was very unhappy about it.”
Truth Social Clarification: ‘This Was Netanyahu’s Decision’
Earlier in the day, Trump posted on Truth Social, making clear that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — not the White House — authorized the strike:
“This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me. Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States, does not advance Israel or America’s goals.”
At the same time, Trump reaffirmed that destroying Hamas remains a legitimate objective, writing that eliminating the terror group is a “worthy goal.”
Qatar Notification Controversy
Trump said he had directed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to warn Qatar of the impending attack, but admitted it came “too late to stop it.”
He added:
“I view Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the U.S., and feel very badly about the location of the attack. I assured them such a thing will not happen again on their soil.”
The President also revealed he instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to finalize a Defense Cooperation Agreement with Qatar as a reassurance of US commitment.
Conflicting Timelines
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt insisted Washington notified Doha before the strike. Yet Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed Al Thani claimed the US only informed Qatar ten minutes after the attack had already taken place, fueling tensions over credibility.
