Frenemy of the State

Qatar's lobbying blitz in Washington has seen its influence grow over U.S. lawmakers, raising questions about power, politics and global alignment

- BY JESUS MESA

QATAR MAY ONLY BE ABOUT THE SIZE OF Connecticut, but the gas-rich Gulf emirate has outstripped its physical limits to become one of the most influential foreign players in geopolitics. Fueled by immense wealth and a willingness to engage with adversaries others avoid, Qatar—with just over 3 million residents, most of them foreign workers—has positioned itself not just as a mediator in Middle East conflicts but as an outside power broker in Donald Trump-era America.

But this rise has sharpened the paradox at the heart of the Washington-Doha relationship. Qatar is a key military partner and host of America's largest base in the region. It is also the chief back channel for and sponsor of Hamas, criticized for harboring the Palestinian militant group's leaders and accused of tolerating—if not outright supporting—extremist financing. Praised for its ability to get Hamas to the negotiating table and condemned for the cozy relationship that allowed it do so in the first place, Qatar is both neutral and, to many across the political spectrum, suspect.

“I wouldn't call them friend or enemy,” said Natalie Ecanow, a fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, speaking on Newsweek's The 1600 podcast in October. “It’s more like a frenemy. And that ambiguity is their strength.”

In 2025, that ambiguity collided head-on with U.S. policy under President Trump. After a surprise Israeli strike in Doha targeting Hamas leadership in September—the first time Israel had targeted Qatari soil—Qatar helped to broker the ceasefire that led to the release of all the remaining living Israeli hostages from Gaza last month. In the run-up to the deal, Trump signed an executive order pledging U.S. military protection to Qatar in the event of an external attack, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the U.S. would host Qatari troops for training purposes at a military base in Idaho.