Donald Trump is wrapping up his three day ‘corruption 2025’ tour of the Middle East – coming home with a bunch of deals on the table, but also a $400m grift jet that even Qatar apparently didn’t want
Donald Trump is wrapping up his three day ‘corruption 2025’ tour of the Middle East – coming home with a bunch of deals on the table, but also a $400m grift jet that even Qatar apparently didn’t want.
He once again danced to a gay anthem in a country that criminalises homosexuality.
He described some top generals as “frickin’ losers”.
And kind of shrugged about Putin’s snub of peace talks in Turkey.
Meanwhile, RFK Jr and Kristy Noem got dressings down in Congress, and Bruce Springsteen had some choice words for the Commander in Chief.
Here’s a roundup of all the wild and terrible things happening across the pond.
1. Trump danced to YMCA and boasted about firing generals
At a speech to US troops stationed in Qatar, Trump boasted that he’d fired a lot of generals.
“We let a lot of four stars go,” he said touting his administration’s effort to thin the military’s top ranks, describing some military leaders as “frickin’ losers” as he addressed the rank-and-file.
The president danced for a moment to the Village People’s “YMCA” as he wrapped up his speech.
2. He’s not disappointed that Putin didn’t turn up to peace talks, because “why would he go if I’m not going?”
Trump was asked in Doha if he was disappointed in Vladimir Putin’s absence from Ukraine peace talks in Turkey.
“No,” he replied. “I actually said, why would he go if I’m not going? Because I wasn’t going to go. I wasn’t planning to go. I would go, but I wasn’t planning to go. And I said, I don’t think he’s going to go if I don’t go. And that’s turned out to be right.. but I didn’t think it was possible for Putin to go if I’m not there.”
So why didn’t he… go?
3. Trump gushed over the guy who’s about to give him a free plane
Donald Trump gushed over the leader of Qatar – who is giving him a free luxury jet worth $400 million.
The US President landed in Doha this morning on the second day of his three-day tour of the Middle East.
He sat down with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim Al Thani, at the start of a state visit to the state, lavishing him with praise – both for his “friendship” to the US and for the exquisite marbling of his palace.
Qatar has long been criticised for criminalising homosexuality, with prison sentences of up to seven years or death by stoning.
A 2022 Human Rights Watch report found Qatari security forces continue to arrest citizens who are gay, lesbian, and transgender, sometimes forcing them to undergo conversion therapy.
Qatar says the report contains false allegations.
“We’ve been friends for a long time, hard to believe, right?” Trump told Sheikh al Thani as they sat down together today.
“I remember our first meeting very well, and we’ve liked each other and we’ve worked with each other and now we can work in the highest capacity.”
He went on: “I just want to thank you for everything, and maybe in particular our friendship, it’s been a very loyal, great, beautiful friendship and the job you’ve done is second to none.”
Looking around at the interior of al Thani’s palace, he said: “You look at this and it’s so beautiful. As a construction person I’m seeing perfect marble. This is what they call ‘perfecto’.
“It’s just such a great job you’ve done, and what a beautiful place.”
He also said he appreciated “those camels”, adding that he hadn’t “seen camels like that in a long time.”
4. And the Emir of Qatar offered to give the US tips on hosting a World Cup
Sheikh al Thani also revealed he would be sharing tips with Trump on how to run the World Cup, which the US will be hosting next year.
The 2022 World Cup was widely criticised over the brutal conditions suffered by migrant workers building the country’s stadiums.
FIFA was slammed over a last-minute decision to hand out yellow cards to European captains who continued to wear rainbow arm bands.
Security officials confiscated items of rainbow clothing and flags featuring rainbows. And American journalist Grant Wahl was briefly detained for wearing a t-shirt with a rainbow on it.
“We were very lucky that in 2022 we had the World Cup here in Qatar. And there wasn’t one incident during the World Cup. We had 1.5 million people during these couple of weeks and not one incident,” the Emir said.
“We’re also sharing our experience on how to deal with the World Cup with your security forces, we have people visiting each other.”
5. Oh yeah, about that plane. Qatar doesn’t even want it
The luxurious plane Qatar is offering as a “gift” to Trump is a hand me down from the state’s Royal Family.
Turns out it’s been up for sale since 2020 and the Emir has yet to find a buyer.
6. And his description of Syria’s new leader was deeply weird
Trump met with the interim leader of Syria, Ahmad al-Sharaa.
Trump said the rapprochement with Syria came at the urging of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“There is a new government that will hopefully succeed,” said Trump, who announced he’ll move to lift sanctions on Syria to give the country “a chance at peace.”
“I say good luck, Syria. Show us something special,” Trump said.
He later described al-Sharaa as a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past.”
That “strong past” includes several years as an insurgent spent imprisoned by US troops in Iraq.
7. RFK got a pummelling before congress
Robert F Kennedy Jr, the Health Secretary and perhaps the most irritating nephew since Fred from A Christmas Carol, got absolutely rinsed at a Committee of congress over his views on vaccinations.
In an eventful session, he was interrupted briefly while security bundled out pro-Palestine protesters – including Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen.
But the real drama was when Chris Murphy read out a laundry list of Kennedy’s lies and falsehoods about vaccines.
Worth watching the whole thing.
8. Tulsi Gabbard fired officials that got in he way of Trump’s deportation plan
National Security advisor Kirsty Noem sacked two officials yesterday, after they oversaw a report confirming the Venezuelan government is not in charge of the street gang Tren de Aragua.
Why? Because the Trump administration is using the spurious claim as the basis for invoking the Alien Enemies act, which has allowed them to deport “suspected gang members” without the usual due process.
9. Noem got taken to town over masked and unidentified ‘ICE agents’
At another Congressional committee, Representative Julie Johnson skewered Noem on the question of whether some ICE agents are, indeed, ICE agents – or whether they’re just “vigilantes” trying to “terrorise people of colour.”
She told the Cabinet secretary there have been many instances of armed alleged agents covering their faces to prevent identification.
And she noted some remarkably realistic ICE agent jackets are available on Etsy for a mere $20…asking what she was going to do to improve identification protocols.
“In states like Texas that are ‘open carry’ (where guns can be carried openly) and any jackadoo can be walking around with a gun, I think some tragic circumstances are ahead.”
10. Springsteen ripped Trump a new one
Bruce Springsteen, perhaps the greatest living American, opened his European tour in Manchester last night, and had a few choice words about the leader of his country.
“In my home,” he said at the top of the show, “the America I love, the America I’ve written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration.
“Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experiment to rise with us, raise your voices against authoritarianism and let freedom ring!”
You tell him, boss.