President Donald Trump erupted in anger over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to launch airstrikes on Qatar earlier this month, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The strikes targeted Hamas leaders in Doha, a move that blindsided Washington despite the United States’ firm alliance with both Israel and Qatar.
“He’s F***ing Me,” Donald Trump Reportedly Said
WSJ report quotes sources familiar with the matter that Trump reacted furiously upon learning of the Israeli operation. “Netanyahu is f***ing me,” the president reportedly told close aides, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
While Trump has consistently backed Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, he was described as “not happy” with the decision to attack Qatar, saying the strike “does not advance Israel or America’s goals.”
Benjamin Netanyahu Acted Without Informing Washington
Previous reports indicated that Trump rebuked Netanyahu for failing to inform him of the plan to strike Doha. After the operation, Trump is said to have called the Israeli leader to ask if the mission had succeeded and expressed displeasure when told it had not.
Despite Trump’s earlier warnings to exercise restraint, Netanyahu proceeded. “My message is that they have to be very, very careful. They have to do something about Hamas, but Qatar has been a great ally to the United States,” Trump told reporters before Rubio’s state visit to Israel.
Qatar Condemns the Israeli Attack
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani condemned the airstrikes, urging the international community to hold Israel accountable. “The time has come for the international community to stop using double standards and to punish Israel for all the crimes it has committed,” he said.
Despite the tensions, Netanyahu welcomed Rubio warmly during the US official’s state visit, calling the bond between their nations “as strong, as durable as the stones in the Western Wall that we just touched.” Both leaders placed written prayers in the wall’s crevices during the visit.
Trump, meanwhile, reaffirmed his commitment to Israel during a state visit to the United Kingdom, where he joined British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in declaring that Hamas must have “no future” in Gaza.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
