‘I’m not thrilled’: President Trump criticizes Israeli strike inside ‘close ally’ Qatar but calls attacking Hamas a ‘worthy goal’

On the morning after the stunning news of Israel’s strike against Hamas in the Qatari capital of Doha went around the world, the United States' level of involvement and approval of the operation remained somewhat unclear.

Speaking to reporters, U.S. President Donald Trump said, “I’m just not thrilled about the whole situation... We want the hostages back, but we are not thrilled about the way that went down today.”

In a statement on Tuesday evening, President Trump had criticized the strike inside Qatar, “a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace.”

Trump’s statement on the Qatar attack. pic.twitter.com/ar239dS2Q6

— Mike (@Doranimated) September 9, 2025

According to him, his government was notified by the military “that Israel was attacking Hamas which, very unfortunately, was located in a section of Doha, the Capital of Qatar,” indicating that he didn’t know about the strikes beforehand.

However, media outlets reported that Israel had notified the U.S. shortly before the strikes.

Trump also noted that “This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me.” After the strikes, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office had quickly emphasized that the operation “was a wholly independent Israeli operation. Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.”

According to a report by Axios, which hasn’t been confirmed by other outlets, the U.S. was only informed of the strikes when “missiles were already in the air,” infuriating some in the Trump administration.

The President noted that the strikes did “not advance Israel or America’s goals,” and also stressed, “However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal.”

On Sunday, Trump had issued a “last warning” to Hamas to accept the latest ceasefire proposal, saying, “I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting.”

Upon receiving news of the strike, Trump wrote, he “immediately directed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did, however, unfortunately, too late to stop the attack.”

“I view Qatar as a strong Ally and friend of the U.S., and feel very badly about the location of the attack. I want ALL of the Hostages, and bodies of the dead, released, and this War to END, NOW!”

Qatar is a designated major non-NATO ally of the U.S., and houses the largest American military base in the Middle East. Trump visited the country in May of this year.

“I also spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu after the attack. The Prime Minister told me that he wants to make Peace. I believe this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for PEACE. I also spoke to the Emir and Prime Minister of Qatar, and thanked them for their support and friendship to our Country. I assured them that such a thing will not happen again on their soil,” Trump concluded his statement.

The written remarks were nearly identical to a statement issued by his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, several hours earlier, indicating that rather than his usual apparently off-the-cuff remarks, the statement was carefully crafted to navigate the highly unusual situation of one close U.S. ally striking a target in another.

Trump’s statement was a lone voice of relatively weak criticism amid near-universal strong condemnation of the Israeli strike by the UN, Arab states, and European nations, even including friendly governments like Germany.