The Trump administration has formally committed to guaranteeing Qatar’s security, pledging to take military action if the Gulf nation were to come under attack. This significant move was outlined in an executive order.
This order, dated September 29, 2025, was signed just three weeks after Israel conducted airstrikes in Qatar, specifically targeting Hamas leaders. These strikes sparked considerable outrage among Qatari and American officials alike, raising serious questions about the reliability of U.S. security pledges to its key Gulf partner.
The executive order clearly aims to reassure Qatar, making it explicit that any future attack on the nation would be considered “a threat to the peace and security of the United States.”
Qatar is home to the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East and, like many countries in the region, has historically relied on the United States as a primary guarantor of its safety. The recent Israeli attack, carried out by a close American ally, was therefore particularly unsettling for Qatari officials.
According to the executive order, should Qatar be attacked, the United States is mandated to “take all lawful and appropriate measures — including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military — to defend the interests of the United States and of the State of Qatar.”
In September, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel defended the strikes, asserting they were part of Israel’s ongoing mission to retaliate for the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and initiated the conflict in Gaza. Mr. Netanyahu has accused the Qatari government of harboring Hamas.
Despite these tensions, the Israeli government has maintained informal diplomatic channels with Qatar, which, alongside Egypt, has acted as a key mediator in efforts to resolve the war in Gaza.
Hamas reported that no senior leaders were killed in the Doha attack. However, the son of Khalil al-Hayya, a prominent figure involved in planning the October 2023 attack, was among five individuals associated with the group who died, along with Cpl. Bader Saad al-Humaidi al-Dosari, a member of Qatar’s internal security forces.
In the aftermath of the strikes, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, condemned the attack as “state terror.” His government has consistently stated that it hosts Hamas officials at the explicit request of the United States to maintain open lines of communication with the group.
On Monday, Mr. Netanyahu’s office announced that he had spoken with Sheikh Mohammed by phone, expressing regret over the death of a Qatari security officer in the Doha attack. He also assured that Israel had no intention of violating Qatar’s sovereignty again.
The Qatari foreign ministry confirmed that Mr. Netanyahu apologized for the incident during their conversation.
The executive order further directs the U.S. Secretary of Defense to collaborate with other senior officials to “maintain joint contingency planning with the State of Qatar to ensure a rapid and coordinated response to any foreign aggression against the State of Qatar.”
The September attack was not the only recent instance of Qatar facing aggression. In June, Iran launched missiles at the U.S. military installation in Qatar, a strike that Iranian officials claimed was in retaliation for American actions against its nuclear infrastructure.
Qatar was one of three Arab nations visited by Mr. Trump during his regional tour in May.
Additionally, Qatar recently gifted a 747 jetliner to the United States, an aircraft Mr. Trump reportedly intends to use as a replacement for Air Force One.