Gulf allies unhappy with Trump
Due to the lack of a peace agreement with Iran, Arab countries are considering expelling American bases.
Gulf states are increasingly dissatisfied with Washington, as allies worry that Donald Trump is unable to reach an agreement with Iran, The Washington Post reports, citing officials in the region and the West.
According to WP sources, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain are now “equally angry” with the actions of the Trump administration.
“Trump started the war, and we are paying for it,” said an official from one of the Gulf states. According to him, anger towards the United States has reached its highest point since the start of the war with Iran in February 2026.
The growing dissatisfaction is prompting some countries to consider “new options for cooperation” and to reconsider the feasibility of deploying US military bases on their territory. But for now, Washington remains the Gulf's main security partner and arms supplier, and they have no real alternative, the WP writes.
According to a representative of one of the Gulf states, the only option for them is to strengthen their alliance with Washington. "No matter what we do, we cannot say 'no' to the United States," he says.
However, the collective defense agreement signed last week by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan has sent a signal to the United States. According to a senior European official, the three countries thus want to "diversify their security and defense cooperation."
A White House spokesman said Trump had "extremely good" relations with all Gulf partners. He noted that "Iran is more isolated than ever as a result of its terrorist activities."
Qatar and Bahrain have major American bases. They have been the target of several Iranian attacks in recent months.
On June 18, the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding that called for a 60-day ceasefire and the start of basic talks to end the war. However, hostilities have since resumed, with both sides accusing each other of violating the ceasefire.
Trump has repeatedly said that there is progress in talks with Iran, but in practice there has been no progress. CNN, citing sources, reported that the US military is looking for new "creative" ways to pressure Iran, and that the request shows that Trump's ability to force the Islamic Republic to agree to a deal is limited.