Trump, once critical of Qatar, now praises the emirate and recently accepted a $400 million private jet—slated for his future presidential library.
New documents filed with the U.S. Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) reveal an expansive Qatari lobbying campaign targeting conservative media outlets, including Fox News, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail.
Initially focused elsewhere, Qatar shifted over half its U.S. media outreach to right-leaning outlets after Donald Trump’s 2016 election. The goal, according to analysts, was to improve Qatar’s image amid scrutiny for its links with Hamas and Iran.
Among the PR wins: a widely viewed Tucker Carlson interview with Qatari PM Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, facilitated by Lumen8 Advisors. The firm receives $180,000 monthly from the Qatari Embassy and is contractually bound to dedicate at least 13 days a month to work in Doha.
Another firm, GRV Strategies, led by former GOP adviser Garrett Ventry, is paid $80,000 monthly. Records show GRV pitched stories to Fox News and the New York Post, often followed by favorable articles within days.
One example: on February 20, 2025, a GRV staffer texted Fox with a “foreign policy idea.” By February 23, the outlet published “Qatar Stands Firm Against Iranian Pressure.”
Critics are alarmed. “The line between journalism and state-sponsored messaging is blurring,” warned a transparency advocate.
Trump, once critical of Qatar, now praises the emirate and recently accepted a $400 million private jet—slated for his future presidential library.
The revelations echo a parallel scandal in Israel, where officials are under criminal investigation for undeclared Qatari ties and media manipulation.