President Donald Trump signed an executive order dated September 29 that promises to defend Qatar in the event of an attack, calling the U.S.-Qatar relationship an “enduring alliance.”

Trump signed the executive order three weeks after Israel killed Hamas leaders who were residing inside a building in Doha, Qatar’s capital. Trump condemned Israel for launching the attack inside Qatar, and the executive order serves as an assurance for the Arab state following the airstrike. The order was dated on the same day that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Trump at the White House and called Qatar’s prime minister to apologize for the precision strike.

A White House official told The Daily Wire, “As the President stated, he has assured Qatar that attacks like the recent one will not happen again on their soil. On Monday, President Trump hosted a historic trilateral phone call between the Prime Ministers of Qatar and Israel, which helped to put Israel-Qatar relations on a positive track.”

Trump’s order states that the “United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States.”

“In the event of such an attack, the United States shall take all lawful and appropriate measures — including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military — to defend the interests of the United States and of the State of Qatar and to restore peace and stability,” the order continues.

Trump’s order recognizes Qatar’s cooperation with the United States military, as the Middle Eastern country hosts the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East.

“The State of Qatar has hosted United States forces, enabled critical security operations, and stood as a steadfast ally in pursuit of peace, stability, and prosperity, both in the Middle East and abroad, including as a mediator that has assisted the United States’ attempts to resolve significant regional and global conflicts,” the order adds. “In recognition of this history, and in light of the continuing threats to the State of Qatar posed by foreign aggression, it is the policy of the United States to guarantee the security and territorial integrity of the State of Qatar against external attack.”

Qatar has also cooperated with the United States on Trump’s 20-point plan for peace in Gaza and has urged Hamas to accept the deal. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said that Trump is serious about seeing the peace deal through to the end, but added that some aspects of the deal need to be worked out, Axios reported.

“We and Egypt explained to Hamas during yesterday’s meeting that our main goal is stopping the war. Trump’s plan achieves the main goal of ending the war, though some issues in it need clarification and negotiation,” al-Thani said.

While Qatar has sided with the United States on some issues, the Islamic country is far from being a friend of Western ideals. Along with allowing Hamas terrorists to live inside the country, Qatar has been accused of giving safe harbor to one of the masterminds behind the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 Americans. Qatar also funnels billions of dollars to American universities while supporting Al Jazeera, a state-funded news network that has been accused of promoting anti-American propaganda on behalf of terrorists.

Trump’s order guaranteeing security for Qatar was met with harsh backlash from some of his closest allies, including conservative radio host Mark Levin and Right-wing activist Laura Loomer.

“If the leadership of Hamas in Qatar is killed by Israel, are we going to war with Israel? Wouldn’t it have been better to condition any military defense of Qatar on some basic requirements?” Levin asked. “For example: [turn over] the Hamas leaders; no more funding of terrorists worldwide: no more funding of Marxist-Islamist groups in the United States. This is the bare minimum.”

Loomer added, “What about assuring our own safety from Qatar? Every single day, Qatar floods our country with billions of $ of funding for radical left, communist, & Islamist causes on college campuses and major institutions. Qatar also financed Iran before they tried to assassinate Trump.”

During his second term, Trump has grown increasingly friendly with Qatar. The president visited the country in May during a trip to the Middle East, and he accepted a 747 jet that the Qatari government gifted to the United States. Trump said he hopes to use the Qatari aircraft in place of Air Force One.

With a government shutdown underway because Democrats are demanding $1.5 trillion in new spending, here are five brutal consequences of the stoppage.

Troops Protecting America Will Go Without Pay 

Thanks to the shutdown, members of the military working to protect America will go without pay until new funding is approved. Despite not getting paid, military personnel will still be expected to stay on duty and perform their required tasks. 

“Military personnel on active duty, including reserve component personnel on Federal active duty, will continue to report for duty and carry out assigned duties. This includes duty involving excepted and, to the extent they can be performed without incurring new obligations, non-excepted activities,” according to the Department of War’s shutdown contingency plan. 

Civilian employees of the military who are not needed in support roles will be furloughed while the shutdown continues. At the same time, other federal law enforcement officers, such as those working for the Department of Homeland Security, will also go without pay. 

“Our [Homeland Security] law enforcement officers will continue to work throughout the Democrats’ Shutdown to make sure our homeland is safe and secure. More than 200,000 of these patriots will go without pay,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “The Democrats will be forcing over 150,000 officers and nearly 50,000 members of the military—our frontline of defense—to continue protecting our nation without pay.”

Credit: Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

Law Enforcement Operations

The shutdown could stifle the work of certain federal law enforcement task forces cracking down on violent crime across the country, the National Association of Police Organizations warned. 

“Federal funding for task forces will stop flowing,” the organization warned. “Federal grants, resources, and supports for state and local law enforcement will stop, leaving vital public safety initiatives in the lurch.”

The organization, which represents 250,000 law enforcement agents, stated that law enforcement personnel should not be expected to put their lives on the line without adequate compensation.

“To have them risk their lives without pay undermines support for the work they are doing and increases the stresses and strains the job puts on them and their families,” the organization added. “We are calling on all lawmakers to do the right thing and enact a continuing resolution to fund the government before time runs out.”

Veterans Will Lose Assistance

Military veterans will also lose access to key Department of Veteran Affairs assistance programs, according to the American Legion. They will no longer be able to receive transition program assistance or career counseling, regional benefit centers will be closed, and there will be no ground maintenance or placement of permanent headstones at VA cemeteries. Additionally, multiple hotlines will be closed. 

“President Trump opposes a lapse in appropriations, and on September 19, the House of Representatives passed, with the Trump Administration’s support, a clean continuing resolution to fund the government through November 21. Unfortunately, Democrats are blocking this Continuing Resolution in the U.S. Senate due to unrelated policy demands,” the VA said in a letter to veterans. 

Travel 

While airports will continue to operate across the country, there could be delays as thousands of Federal Aviation Administration employees are expected to be furloughed. Additionally, aircraft controllers and TSA employees will also be working without pay throughout the shutdown. 

“Under [President Trump’s] leadership, [the Department of Transportation] has hired 20% more air traffic controllers than the previous administration did in the same time period. Our team at the [FAA] did tremendous work to make this happen AHEAD of schedule,” said Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. “Now, [Sen. Schumer] and [Rep. Jeffries] are holding their paychecks HOSTAGE to push their America Last agenda through Congress.”

“The American people shouldn’t have to suffer through endless delays and cancellations because Democrats are too busy fighting for benefits for illegal immigrants! Make it make sense!” Duffy added. 

Credit: Photographer: Shelby Tauber/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

Healthcare Programs Expire, Nutrition Programs Languish 

Certain healthcare programs have either expired or are expected to face delays as the shutdown continues. 

For example, the Acute Hospital Care at Home Initiative, which enables hospitals to obtain approval to treat Medicare patients with conditions such as respiratory diseases or bacterial infections at home, expired on Tuesday. The popular program required congressional approval to continue and had been benefiting approximately 1,200 patients per month. 

Two other healthcare programs that could be impacted by the shutdown are the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which provides low-income families with additional nutrition, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is intended to provide food benefits to low-income individuals. 

The programs will move forward “subject to the availability of funding,” and House Speaker Mike Johnson said they could be significantly hampered by the program. 

Vice President JD Vance told Ben Shapiro that he believed the shutdown was a politically untenable situation for Democrats, who voted Tuesday and Wednesday to block a temporary spending plan.

“You already see, I think, the Democrats cracking a little bit because they realize it’s such a preposterous position to say, ‘We’re gonna shut down TSA, we’re gonna not pay our troops because you guys won’t give us benefits for illegal aliens.’ It’s crazy, and I don’t think it’s a tenable political situation for them to be in,” Vance said.