How the strikes on Qatar and Poland affected Donald Trump's reputation

Qatar and Poland have become a test for Trump's reputation: partners are looking for clearer signals and more decisive action.

12/09/2025

What happened

Qatar. Following Israel's strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, the UN Security Council issued a statement of condemnation, for the first time with US support. Trump said publicly that he was «very unhappy» with the strike, which caused tensions with Israel and the Gulf states.
Poland. After the large-scale Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace, Trump first suggested that it «might have been a mistake,» which was immediately publicly rejected by Warsaw and a number of allies.

Europe and NATO. Polish leaders called the incident a «deliberate attack», Berlin promised to strengthen its air defences, and the US ambassador to NATO reaffirmed its commitment to defend the entire territory of the Alliance. Trump's doubts about the «mistake» drew criticism both in Warsaw and in the European press.
Middle East. Analysts and Arab partners have said that Washington's slow and contradictory response to the Qatar strike undermines the credibility of the US as a mediator and complicates its priorities in the region.

The image of a leader in crisis. The ambivalent messages about Poland contrasted with Warsaw's tough statements and added to doubts about the White House's readiness to quickly and unequivocally contain Russia.
Reliability in Zatoka. The public «dissatisfaction» with the strike in Doha, along with the fact that the UN Security Council (including the US) condemned the attack, has reinforced the perception of Trump as a less predictable partner for Qatar and other Arab capitals.
International influence. The combination of events in Europe and the Gulf, according to commentators, has weakened Trump's negotiating position and demonstrated the gap between his signals and the actions of his allies.

Internal criticism. Opponents have used the topic of Poland to accuse the White House of being «soft» towards Russia; supporters, on the contrary, speak of caution and unwillingness to escalate. (Assessment against the backdrop of media discussions around the president's statements and Warsaw's reaction.) AP
Congress and defence. The incident has fuelled calls for faster decisions on air defence on NATO's eastern flank and clearer «red lines» for Russia.

For Europe: Additional air defence deployments are expected and pressure on the United States for clear guarantees of response to violations of NATO airspace.
For Zatoka: Washington will have to restore the trust of the mediator in the Qatari tracks and balance support for Israel with the interests of its Arab partners.

The UN Security Council condemned the strikes in Qatar with the participation of all 15 members, including the United States.
Poland secures emergency UN Security Council meeting after prolonged Russian drone raid; Warsaw insists it is not a «mistake».