World leaders to Trump: Thanks, but we'll do what we want

Read time: 3 minutes

In brief:

• Despite claiming he could end wars quickly, Israel attacked Qatar (a US ally helping broker peace) without informing Trump, and Russia violated Polish airspace with drones, leaving Trump seemingly powerless to prevent either incident.
• The News Agents say world leaders feel "more enabled than ever" to ignore Trump's authority.
• They add that while Trump's been active with meetings and envoys across multiple regions, his actual achievements in reining in conflicts

What’s the story?

When Donald Trump took office he said, confidently, that he would be the president that could end wars - in some cases, on day one.

But in the last 24 hours, Israel has attacked Qatar, a sovereign nation, and Russia has flown drones into Poland in an unprecedented airspace violation - and Trump seemingly had no say in either matter.

“Far from actually reining people in and bringing peace, it’s beginning to feel that the likes of Putin and Netanyahu feel more enabled than ever to do whatever the hell they want, wherever they want, knowing that Trump will do nothing about it,” Jon Sopel says on The News Agents USA.

Donald Trump has claimed that he had nothing to do with Israel’s decision to strike Qatar, saying that when he was notified of the attack he immediately told special envoy Steve Witkoff to inform the Qataris - but it was already too late.

With Netanyahu leaving the President in the dark, Trump was left sounding “mighty pissed off” when he found out.

In a statement, Trump said: Bombing a "Sovereign Nation and close Ally" of the US, "that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace, does not advance Israel or America's goals”.

But he did add that “eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal.”

Natanyahu says that Israel’s attack on Doha targeted senior Hamas leaders who organised the 7 October 2023 attack in Israel, which saw 1,200 people murdered and 251 people taken hostage in Gaza.

Hamas says the attack killed six people, but none of its leaders died. Qatar’s government is now looking at holding the Israeli PM responsible for breaking international law with the attack in Doha.

What’s The News Agents’ take?

In the past week, Donald Trump has redesigned the US Defence Department to become the ‘Department of War’.

“It doesn't particularly sound like an administration that is trying to pull back from war. Quite the opposite, in fact,” Emily Matilis says.

She believes that Trump, who considers himself as a master negotiator, is actually “being used as the useful idiot” by world leaders to achieve their own ends, who cosy up to him to get the US president on side.

“In terms of getting your ally, or girlfriend to go to the loo with you. That's essentially the role that Trump is now playing to both Putin and Netanyahu,” she says.

Although both the Taliban and Hamas have found a home in Qatar, which Jon says people will find “uncomfortable,” the country sees itself as “the Switzerland of the Middle East,” - a neutral country that tries to get peace deals done.

“Qatar is meant to be a friendly nation to both the US and Israel. It is part of the core negotiating geography of helping bring Hamas and Israel to the table to try and negotiate a way out for both Gazans and for the hostages, and suddenly it's coming under fire,” Emily says.

She suspects Trump was less annoyed about the attack itself, and more so about the fact that he knew nothing of it.

“The fact that Netanyahu wasn't really scared of Trump tells you everything.”

Just as he has no control over Netanyahu’s actions, Trump has made no headway with Putin in his various attempts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. He’s given Putin endless deadlines to comply, but as Jon points out, they come and go and nothing happens.

“President Trump always chickens out when it comes to dealing with Russia,” he says.

“We're seeing this repeat itself again and again, so that the people he is trying to rein in are doing the exact opposite. They feel absolutely free to do whatever the hell they like ”

And while you can’t argue that Donald Trump has shied away from getting involved in foreign affairs during his second term - meeting Putin in Alaska, sending his envoy to the Middle East, and having a lot to say on China - time and time again, nothing comes of it.

“What does it all add up to?” Jon asks.

“In the past 24 hours, I think you'd have to say not very much.

“What has he achieved? Probably zero”

Listen to the latest episode of The News Agents USA.