The Qatar Connection: Trump’s Inner Circle and the Shadow Deals You’re Not Hearing About

There’s a reason you haven’t heard much about Donald Trump’s cozy relationship with Qatar—not from mainstream media, not from your evening news, and certainly not from his allies who are raking in profits from the backroom deals that continue to shape American foreign policy. But today, we’re going to change that.

The story starts with a $400 million luxury Boeing 747-8 jet—a palace in the sky—offered to Trump by Qatar’s royal family. While Trump and his team claim this is a cost-saving measure for the U.S. government, the truth is far murkier. Qatar’s government insists the matter is still under review with the U.S. Department of Defense. But the jet, once used by the Qatari royals, is already being modified by L3Harris, a major defense contractor. Trump’s defenders call it practical. Critics call it a blatant violation of the U.S. Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, which bars federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments. But this is just the beginning.

Trump’s relationship with Qatar isn’t just about a jet. It’s about influence—deep, systemic influence that extends far beyond that runway. Take Kash Patel for example. Patel isn’t just some random Trump loyalist. He was the former chief of staff to the Secretary of Defense and is now Trump’s nominee for FBI Director. But here’s the kicker—Patel’s consulting firm, Trishul, was paid by the Qatari government for national security and defense consulting. And yet, he never registered as a foreign agent under FARA, even while serving as Trump’s advisor during his 2024 campaign. Let that sink in. Qatar was effectively paying Trump’s top national security advisor while he was plotting his way back to the White House.

And it doesn’t stop there. Lee Zeldin, who Trump appointed as head of the Environmental Protection Agency, has his own ties. Zeldin received payments from Heritage Advisors, a venture capital firm run by Sheikh Sultan bin Jassim Al Thani—a member of Qatar’s royal family. This isn’t just pocket change. This is political influence, bought and paid for. Zeldin’s links to Qatari interests were so blatant that they even surfaced during the corruption trial of former Senator Bob Menendez. But did you hear about that on the news? Of course not.

Then there’s Barry Bennett. Trump’s former campaign advisor admitted to taking money from Qatar to shape U.S. policy in the Middle East. He and his associate, Doug Watts, led a covert campaign through a shadowy organization called Yemen Crisis Watch. Their mission? To push Qatar’s interests in Washington while smearing its rivals—all without registering as foreign agents. In January 2024, both Bennett and Watts enter into deferred prosecution agreements with the US Department of Justice, admitting to conceal their foreign lobbying efforts and making false statements to investigators. Just another day in Trump’s world.

But perhaps the most brazen link comes from Corey Lewandowski. Remember him? Trump’s former campaign manager was tied to a consulting firm that received $150,000 a month from Qatar for “government relations and strategic consulting.” That’s what they call it—strategic consulting. What it really means is influence. Qatar, a nation often criticized for its links to extremist groups, was buying access to Trump’s right-hand man. And the Trump campaign? Silent.

And now, we need to talk about Pam Bondi. The former Florida Attorney General and Trump loyalist, Bondi has long been linked to Qatar’s lobbying efforts. After leaving public office, she worked with Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm that represented Qatar’s interests in Washington. Bondi personally spearheaded efforts to smooth relations between Qatar and the Trump administration, including setting up high-level meetings and facilitating communication with key decision-makers. Bondi’s firm was instrumental in softening U.S. policy positions towards Qatar—a nation that poured millions into lobbying efforts to reshape its image in Washington.

If that wasn’t enough, let’s not forget about Jared Kushner. When Kushner’s family business was drowning in debt over its disastrous $1.8 billion acquisition of 666 Fifth Avenue, they reached out to—you guessed it—Qatar. In 2017, Kushner’s family sought financial assistance directly from Qatar’s finance minister. When that deal didn’t go through, a miracle came along: Brookfield Asset Management, a Canadian firm with significant Qatari investments, swooped in to bail out the property with a 99-year lease. Qatar effectively saved Kushner’s family empire while Jared was shaping U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. A coincidence? Not likely.

All of these connections are not just coincidences; they are the framework of a much bigger strategy. Qatar has been maneuvering to align itself with Trump’s power structure from the beginning, and his allies were more than willing to take the money. Now, with a luxury jet waiting on the tarmac and millions of dollars funneled into his closest advisors, the picture is getting clearer.

Here’s the bottom line: Trump’s inner circle is playing both sides—rallying MAGA while pocketing Qatari cash. These aren’t baseless accusations. These are documented facts. And while Trump is busy grandstanding about American sovereignty, his team is selling influence to foreign governments—governments with very different ideas about freedom and democracy.

This is why we need to act—now more than ever. Qatar is embedding itself in our political system through Trump’s closest allies, and mainstream media is looking the other way. But we aren’t. I’m not. And if you’re reading this, you aren’t either.

Here’s what I’m asking:

1. Share this letter. Send it to three, four, five people who need to know what’s really going on.

2. Subscribe and re-stack. Every subscription helps us get this information out to more people.

3. Support the fight. If you can, become a paid subscriber or contribute to Venmo: @Lev-Parnas. This isn’t just a community—it’s a movement.

We are just getting started, and they are already feeling the heat. Now let’s turn up the pressure.

I’m risking everything to bring you the truth. Join me. Let’s keep going.

—Lev