Trump administration’s investment drive continues in Qatarpublished at 17:35 British Summer Time
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House
We’ve not yet heard directly heard yet from President Trump on how he believes the visit to Qatar turned out – but the White House clearly views this as a victory in line with Trump’s broader agenda.
In briefings, press gaggles and Trump’s own words, I’ve heard officials from this administration repeatedly point to foreign investment as a sign of success that Trump’s economic strategy is working, despite any concerns that Americans may have over tariffs.
With that in mind, news of a $1.2tr economic exchange between the two is likely to be seized upon by the president’s backers to show that American firms – such as Boeing, Raytheon and General Atomics – and, by extension, American jobs, are benefitting from the administration.
One of the primary reasons for this trip, after all, is economic, even if other topics have come up.
Democrats, for their part, have been much more cautious and critical of the US economic ties with Qatar, particularly after the news emerged of Trump’s plan to receive a luxury jumbo jet from the Gulf country.
One Democratic lawmaker, New York representative Richie Torres, went as far as to say that “Qatar is not a neutral party on the world stage”.
“It has a deeply troubling history of financing a barbaric terrorist organization that has the blood of Americans on its hands,” he added.
