Trump order pledges that US will defend Qatar in event of attack

By Simon Lewis and Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to treat any armed attack on Qatar as a threat to the United States' own security, according to a document published on Wednesday that says U.S. forces could step in to defend the Middle Eastern nation.

The executive order - which appears to significantly deepen the U.S. commitment to its Middle East ally - comes after Israel last month attempted to kill leaders of Hamas with an airstrike on Doha.

That strike, launched with little advance notice to the Trump administration, caused consternation in Washington given the close U.S. relationship with Qatar, which hosts the largest U.S. military base in the region.

PLEDGE TO RESPOND

The document was dated Monday, the day Trump hosted Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House and presented a proposal for ending the war in Gaza. Qatar has been a key mediator between the U.S. and Israel and Hamas over the war.

"The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States," the order said.

"In the event of such an attack, the United States shall 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 and to restore peace and stability."

The document said top U.S. defense and intelligence officials will maintain contingency planning with Qatar to ensure a rapid response to any attacks.

Neighboring Saudi Arabia has long sought similar guarantees as part of Washington's efforts to normalise relations between Riyadh and Israel, but such a deal has not materialised. Last month, Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defence pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan.

QATARI JETLINER GIFT

While the president can negotiate collective defense treaties like the one that created NATO, it requires Senate confirmation to become law. An executive order can be repealed by any U.S. president in the future and it is unclear what would compel the U.S. to fulfill the commitment.

Trump's order goes beyond a 2022 order by his predecessor Joe Biden that designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally, allowing increased military cooperation but falling short of promising to defend Qatar if attacked.

There was no U.S. military response when Qatar came under attack by Iran in June after a U.S. strike on nuclear facilities in Iran.

The Trump administration in May officially accepted a luxury Boeing 747 jetliner as a gift from Qatar and the military is working to prepare it for use as a new Air Force One to transport President Donald Trump. Trump dismissed legal and ethical concerns over the plane's transfer.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Doha after the Israeli strike, and said an enhanced defense cooperation agreement was being finalized with Qatar.

(Reporting by Simon Lewis and Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Don Durfee)