Trump Signs Executive Order Pledging US Defense of Qatar Following Israeli Airstrike

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order committing the United States to defend Qatar against any external aggression, a pledge often compared to NATO’s Article 5 security guarantee.

The order, released on the White House website on Wednesday but dated two days earlier, declares that Washington will consider “any armed attack” on Qatar as a threat to US peace and security and respond with “all lawful and appropriate measures, including diplomatic, economic and, if necessary, military.”

This announcement comes in the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike in Doha last month that resulted in six fatalities, including a Qatari security officer, during ceasefire negotiations involving Hamas leaders.

During Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington on Monday, Trump facilitated a phone call between Netanyahu and the Qatari prime minister, where Netanyahu expressed regret over the strike.

Qatar’s foreign ministry welcomed the US pledge, describing it as a major step toward strengthening bilateral defense relations. Media outlet Al Jazeera called the executive order a guarantee of Qatar’s security.

Trump also spoke by phone with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, although the contents of the discussion were not disclosed.

This order marks an unusual expansion of presidential authority, as formal security guarantees generally require Senate approval. Trump’s unilateral commitment has sparked debate regarding its legal standing, especially considering his earlier skepticism toward NATO and multilateral defense agreements.

Analysts note that the order provides the president with broad discretion in responding to any future threats against Qatar.

Qatar, an energy-rich Gulf state with vast natural gas reserves, hosts Al Udeid Air Base—the largest US military installation in the Middle East. It was designated a “major non-NATO ally” by President Joe Biden in 2022 due to its role supporting the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Trump’s personal ties to Qatar include a real estate venture with the Trump Organization and the gift of a Boeing 747 jet from Doha, currently being refurbished as a potential new Air Force One.

The executive order arrives amid shifting regional security dynamics. Recently, Saudi Arabia entered into a mutual defense pact with Pakistan, extending Islamabad’s nuclear umbrella to the kingdom.

Observers suggest other Gulf nations, concerned over Israel’s military actions and renewed UN sanctions on Iran, may now seek similar security guarantees from Washington.

“The Gulf’s centrality in the Middle East and its significance to the United States warrants specific US guarantees beyond President Donald J Trump’s assurances of non-repetition and dinner meetings,” said Bader al-Saif, a historian at Kuwait University.