By Palestine Chronicle Editors
Habtoor to Trump: “Who gave you the authority to drag our region into a war with Iran?” (Design: Palestine Chronicle)
An Emirati billionaire’s rare public rebuke of Trump reveals growing Gulf unease over US-Israeli escalation against Iran.
Key Takeaways
- Emirati billionaire Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor issued an unusually direct public message questioning Trump’s decision to wage war on Iran.
- His criticism is politically significant because he is closely connected to UAE elites and regional decision-making circles.
- The message suggests growing Gulf anxiety about the consequences of US-Israeli military escalation.
- Gulf states have invested heavily in US initiatives and normalization with Israel yet now face direct security risks from the war.
- Habtoor’s letter reflects a broader dilemma: Gulf regimes aligned with Washington must now navigate the unpredictability of Trump and Netanyahu’s war policies.
- The text of the full letter is provided below.
A Rare Gulf Rebuke
In the highly controlled political environment of the Gulf, public criticism of US policy by influential elites is rare. Yet Emirati billionaire Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, one of the region’s most prominent business figures, delivered a striking message directed personally at US President Donald Trump.
Addressing the president directly, Habtoor opened with a blunt challenge:
“Mr. President Donald Trump, A direct question: Who gave you the decision to drag our region into a war with Iran? And on what basis was this dangerous decision taken?”
The wording alone is remarkable. The Gulf’s political and economic elites have historically avoided public confrontation with Washington. Instead, disagreements are usually expressed through quiet diplomatic channels.
Habtoor’s intervention therefore carries significance not merely because of what he said, but because he said it publicly.
A billionaire businessman whose conglomerate spans hotels, construction, engineering and entertainment, Habtoor is deeply integrated into the UAE’s economic establishment. His group operates across the Gulf and internationally, and his personal fortune is estimated at more than $2 billion.
More importantly, Habtoor is not a dissident figure. On the contrary, he represents a segment of the Gulf establishment that has historically supported close strategic ties with the United States.
His message therefore, signals something deeper: anxiety within pro-Western Gulf circles about the consequences of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
A War the Region “Did Not Choose”
One of the most striking lines in Habtoor’s message concerns the regional consequences of the war.
He wrote:
“You have placed the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab countries at the heart of a danger they did not choose.”
This statement reflects a fundamental dilemma facing Gulf governments today.
For decades, Gulf states have aligned themselves closely with Washington’s regional strategy. They host American military bases, coordinate security policies with the Pentagon, and invest heavily in US economic and defense partnerships.
More recently, several Gulf states have also participated—directly or indirectly—in normalization initiatives with Israel.
Yet the war against Iran exposes the limits of that alignment.
The Gulf states did not initiate this conflict. The current escalation stems largely from the convergence of Israeli strategic objectives and the aggressive posture of the Trump administration.
However, because of geography and military infrastructure, the Gulf region could become one of the main arenas of retaliation.
Habtoor emphasized this concern when he asked:
“Did you calculate the collateral damage before you pulled the trigger? Did you think that the first to be harmed by this escalation would be the countries of the region?”
The question reflects fears that Gulf infrastructure—energy facilities, ports, and US bases—could become targets if the war expands.
Questioning Israeli Influence
Perhaps the most politically sensitive element of Habtoor’s message is his suggestion that Israeli pressure may have influenced Washington’s decision.
He asked directly:
“Was this your decision alone? Or did it come as a result of pressure from Netanyahu and his government?”
This line reveals an increasingly widespread perception in the Gulf region: that Israel’s strategic priorities are shaping US policy in ways that place the entire Middle East at risk.
The question is particularly significant because it was posed not by an Iranian official, a resistance movement, or a Western critic of Israeli policy—but by a Gulf businessman traditionally aligned with the Western economic order.
It reflects a growing frustration among some Gulf elites who fear that the aggressive policies of Netanyahu’s government are dragging the region into dangerous confrontations.
The Gulf’s Financial Stake
Habtoor also raised an issue rarely discussed publicly: the financial role Gulf states have played in US-led regional initiatives.
Referring to the “Board of Peace” initiative launched by Trump earlier this year, Habtoor wrote:
“Before the ink had dried on the Board of Peace initiative announced in the name of peace and stability, we find ourselves facing military escalation that endangers the entire region.”
He then posed a pointed question about funding.
“Most of the financing for these initiatives came from the countries of the region itself… Gulf states contributed billions of dollars on the basis of supporting stability and development.”
The implication is clear.
If Gulf states financed initiatives meant to promote ‘stability’—particularly projects tied to Gaza reconstruction and their perception of ‘regional security’—then those same states now have a legitimate reason to question the sudden shift toward war.
Habtoor expressed that frustration bluntly:
“These countries have the right to ask today: Where did this money go? Are we funding peace initiatives or funding a war that exposes us to danger?”
The comment reflects a broader tension in Gulf-US relations.
For years, Gulf governments have invested massive financial resources in regional security frameworks aligned with Washington, and by extension Israel. But those investments were justified domestically as efforts to promote stability—not to support open-ended wars.
Trump’s Broken Promises
Habtoor also framed his criticism in terms of Trump’s own political promises.
During his election campaigns, Trump repeatedly vowed to avoid foreign wars and focus on domestic priorities.
Habtoor reminded him of those pledges:
“You promised the American people peace and prosperity, yet today they find themselves in a war financed by their taxes.”
He also cited the scale of US military activity under Trump’s second administration, noting that Washington has already conducted operations in multiple countries, including Somalia, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Iran, and Venezuela.
Habtoor argued that such interventions contradict Trump’s promise to pursue an “America First” foreign policy focused on domestic priorities.
His warning extended beyond regional concerns to the American public itself.
“These numbers say something clear: even within the United States there is growing concern about being dragged into a new war.”
A Message Beyond One Man
While Habtoor’s statement is formally a personal message, its political implications go far beyond one individual.
In Gulf political culture, influential business figures rarely make statements of this magnitude without understanding the broader regional mood.
The UAE has been one of Washington’s closest partners in the Middle East. It has supported normalization with Israel, invested heavily in US partnerships, and cooperated with Western security initiatives.
Yet the war on Iran places Gulf states in a difficult position.
They cannot easily oppose the United States publicly, yet they also cannot ignore the risks that a regional war would pose to their economies, infrastructure and domestic stability.
Habtoor’s intervention therefore appears to reflect a broader sentiment: Gulf states have done everything expected of them within the US-led regional order, yet they now find themselves exposed to the consequences of decisions made in Washington and Tel Aviv.
The Limits of Alignment
Habtoor concluded his message with a broader reflection on leadership.
“True leadership is not measured by decisions of war, but by wisdom, respect for others, and the pursuit of peace.”
The statement may appear rhetorical, but within the context of the current crisis, it carries a deeper meaning.
For decades, the Gulf states have built their security strategy around alignment with the United States.
But the ongoing US-Israeli aggression against Iran is forcing them to confront an uncomfortable reality: strategic alignment does not guarantee stability.
Instead, the policies of Washington and Tel Aviv may now be generating the very instability Gulf governments have long sought to avoid.
Habtoor’s question, therefore, resonates far beyond his own words:
Who gave the United States the right to turn the Middle East into a battlefield?
It is a question that many governments in the region—quietly or publicly—are increasingly beginning to ask.
Full Translation of Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor’s Message to Donald Trump
Mr. President Donald Trump,
A direct question: Who gave you the authority to drag our region into a war with Iran? And on what basis was this dangerous decision taken?
Did you calculate the collateral damage before pulling the trigger? Did you think that the first to be harmed by this escalation would be the countries of the region?
The peoples of this region also have the right to ask: was this your decision alone, or was it the result of pressure from Netanyahu and his government?
You have placed the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab states at the heart of a danger they did not choose. Thank God we are strong and capable of defending ourselves, and we have armies and defenses that protect our homelands. But the question remains: who allowed you to turn our region into a battlefield?
Before the ink had dried on the Board of Peace initiative that you announced in the name of peace and stability, we now find ourselves facing military escalation that puts the entire region at risk. Where did those initiatives go? And what happened to the commitments that were made in the name of peace?
Most of the funding that was proposed for those initiatives came from the countries of the region itself. Gulf Arab states contributed billions of dollars on the basis of supporting stability and development. These countries have the right to ask today: where did this money go? Are we funding peace initiatives, or are we funding a war that puts us in danger?
More dangerous than that, your decision does not threaten only the peoples of the region, but also reaches the American people themselves, whom you promised peace and prosperity. Today they find themselves in a war financed by their own money and taxes.
According to the Institute for Policy Studies, the cost of these operations ranges between 40 and 65 billion dollars for direct military actions, and may reach 210 billion dollars including economic effects and indirect losses if the war continues for four to five weeks. It has even reached the point of sacrificing Americans themselves in a war that has nothing to do with them.
You also broke your promises not to become involved in wars and to focus only on America and put it first. During your second term you ordered military interventions in seven countries: Somalia, Iraq, Yemen, Nigeria, Syria, Iran and Venezuela, in addition to naval operations in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean.
You launched more than 658 foreign airstrikes in your first year alone, a number equal to the total strikes conducted during Biden’s entire presidency, even though you criticized him for dragging the United States into foreign wars.
These numbers have been strongly reflected in your approval ratings among Americans, which have declined since the beginning of your second term, dropping by nine percent in just 400 days.
These numbers say something clear: even within the United States there is growing concern about being dragged into a new war and about exposing the lives of Americans, their economy and their future to unnecessary risks.
True leadership is not measured by decisions of war, but by wisdom, respect for others, and the pursuit of peace.
If these initiatives were launched in the name of peace, then we have the right today to demand full transparency and clear accountability.
سيادة الرئيس دونالد ترامب،
سؤال مباشر: من أعطاك القرار لزجّ منطقتنا في حرب مع #إيران؟ وعلى أي أساس اتخذت هذا القرار الخطير؟
هل حسبتَ الأضرار الجانبية قبل أن تضغط على الزناد؟ وهل فكّرت أن أول من سيتضرر من هذا التصعيد هي دول المنطقة!
من حق شعوب هذه المنطقة أن تسأل أيضاً: هل كان…
— Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor (@KhalafAlHabtoor) March 5, 2026
(The Palestine Chronicle)
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