US President Donald Trump, flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaks to reporters outside the restaurant Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab in Washington on September 9, 2025. (Saul Loeb/AFP)
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump says he wasn’t notified in advance of Israel’s strikes against Qatar and expresses dissatisfaction with the attack against an American ally.
“I’m just, I’m not thrilled about the whole situation,” Trump tells reporters as he makes a rare outing onto Washington’s streets. “We want the hostages back, but we are not thrilled about the way that went down today.”
While asserting Israel didn’t give advance notice of the strike, Trump also says he wasn’t caught off guard when asked by a reporter if he was surprised.
“I’m never surprised by anything, especially when it comes to the Middle East,” he says.
Trump adds that he will be “giving a full statement tomorrow.” But, he repeats, “I am very unhappy about every aspect. We’ve got to get the hostages back, but I’m very unhappy about the way that went down.”
Trump speaks before entering a restaurant, outside of which a few woman shout “Free DC! Free Palestine! Trump is the Hitler of our time!” before being led across the street by law enforcement officers.
Pro-Palestinian protesters gather near the restaurant entrance after US President Donald Trump arrived for dinner near the White House, September 9, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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