WASHINGTON: The White House issued an executive order on Wednesday that commits to defending Qatar in the event of an attack by another nation, a significant security guarantee comparable to NATO’s Article V.Signed by President Donald Trump on Monday.
The order stated that any “armed attack” on Qatar will now be regarded as “a threat to the peace and security of the United States.” In response to such threats, the U.S. would take “all lawful and appropriate measures including diplomatic, economic, and if necessary, military actions to safeguard the interests of both the United States and Qatar.”
This executive order was issued on the same day President Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House and conducted a phone call with Qatar’s prime minister. During the call, Israel’s leader apologised for missile strikes last month that targeted Hamas officials in Doha for ceasefire negotiations, an attack that resulted in the death of a Qatari security officer. Trump quickly assured Qatar that such an incident would not happen again.
It is unusual for a U.S. president to unilaterally establish security guarantees similar to NATO’s Article V, as such commitments typically require Senate ratification under the Constitution. This is especially noteworthy considering Trump’s “America First” foreign policy stance and his previous skepticism of longstanding U.S. alliances like NATO, which considers an attack on one member as an attack on all.
Nevertheless, the executive order grants the president broad discretion in deciding how the United States would respond to an attack on Qatar. Qatar was among three Arab nations visited by Trump in March during the first major foreign trip of his second term. Shortly after, he accepted a $400 million Boeing 747 from the Qatari government as a gift, and the Pentagon began refurbishing and securing the aircraft to serve as a new Air Force One before the end of Trump’s presidency. Qatar also hosts the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East
