
As Tillerson calls for calm, Trump calls out Qatar on terror
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is ramping up pressure on Qatar to stop what he calls a “high level” of financial support of terrorism, even as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tries to calm the worst diplomatic crisis in the Persian Gulf in years.
Trump’s demand that there be “no more funding” by Qatar for extremists groups contradicted the message delivered Friday by Tillerson, who had urged Qatar’s neighbours to ease their blockade while calling for “calm and thoughtful dialogue.” Only an hour later, Tillerson sat in the front row in the Rose Garden as Trump enthusiastically embraced the move by Saudi Arabia, Egypt and others to punish Qatar.
“The nation of Qatar, unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level,” Trump said, echoing an allegation the Saudi-led group has used to justify cutting diplomatic ties to the tiny gas-rich country. “We have to stop the funding of terrorism.”
Despite Tillerson’s plea for “no further escalation,” Trump’s sharp comments were likely to further embolden Saudi Arabia and the others in their bid to isolate Qatar. The State Department had said the U.S. learned only at the last minute about the Arab nations’ plan to cut ties. But Trump said that he, Tillerson and military leaders had decided during Trump’s trip to Saudi Arabia last month that a public rebuke was needed.