Democrat Who Bashed Trump Over Qatar Jet Praises U.S. University
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) praised the presence of American universities in Qatar’s Education City during a visit to Doha, where several U.S. institutions’…
Chris Murphy went all the way to Doha to smile at the same Qatar connections he finds so objectionable when they involve President Trump. The Connecticut Democrat spent the weekend at Education City, praising American universities for setting up shop in a gas-rich monarchy that buys influence like it’s going out of style. This is the same senator who had plenty to say when Trump took a jet or a meeting tied to Qatar.
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Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) praised the presence of American universities in Qatar’s Education City during a visit to Doha, where several U.S. institutions’ partnerships have drawn congressional scrutiny.
Murphy, who sits on both the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) and Foreign Relations committees, met with leaders in Doha over the weekend.
Ahead of the visit, Murphy claimed the trip would focus on the war and provide an opportunity to “think about what our approach should be to the Gulf moving forward. These are important partners, but imperfect partners.”
While in Doha, the senator met with Sheikha Hind Al Thani, vice chairperson of the Qatar Foundation, which funds Education City.
“The presence of American universities in Qatar is an important way for the United States to promote U.S. values in the Middle East and create more lasting people-to-people connections,” Murphy wrote on X.
The presence of American universities in Qatar is an important way for the United States to promote U.S. values in the Middle East and create more lasting people-to-people connections. I was glad to visit with Sheikha Hind Al Thani in Doha’s Education City
— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) October 5, 2026
Murphy previously criticized President Donald Trump’s acceptance of a luxury jet from Qatar, calling it a “$400 million bribe from a foreign government” in July.
Education City is a complex in Doha funded by the Qatar Foundation that hosts campuses of universities from around the world. Georgetown, Texas A&M, Virginia Commonwealth University, Weill Cornell Medicine (Cornell), Carnegie Mellon, and Northwestern operate there, though several of the programs have come under congressional scrutiny.
At a May 2024 congressional hearing, Northwestern’s then-president claimed he was “disturbed” by the relationship between the university’s Qatar campus and Al Jazeera, the Qatari state-funded media outlet.
Texas A&M’s stated mission in Qatar was to “advance the development goals of the State of Qatar and the region through expertise and engagement that expand human capital.” Its program focused on engineering and energy-related degrees. In February 2024, the university’s board voted to close the campus. The Texas Public Policy Foundation has since argued that the program is “being absorbed” by Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Education City.
Qatar Foundation International, which supported educational programs in the United States, announced that it had concluded operations.
Murphy also has connections to Qatar through his former chief of staff, who has worked as a registered foreign agent for the country.
“Senator Murphy has been an honest and a reliable ally of Qatar, consistently supporting closer U.S.–Qatar ties and greater cooperation on shared strategic interests,” wrote Hamad Al Muftah, the deputy chief of mission of the Qatar Embassy in Washington, D.C.
His praise for Education City comes as lawmakers consider the DETERRENT Act, which would increase disclosure requirements for universities accepting foreign funds. The bill passed the House and now was referred to Senator Murphy’s HELP committee. Several universities, including Yale, have opposed the legislation and are among Murphy’s top donors.
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
Chris Murphy went all the way to Doha to smile at the same Qatar connections he finds so objectionable when they involve President Trump. The Connecticut Democrat spent the weekend at Education City, praising American universities for setting up shop in a gas-rich monarchy that buys influence like it’s going out of style. This is the same senator who had plenty to say when Trump took a jet or a meeting tied to Qatar. Funny how the outrage only applies to the other party.
These aren’t just cultural exchanges. They are revenue streams, and some of these partnerships have already drawn scrutiny in Congress. Murphy sits on both the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee. He could ask the hard questions about foreign money flowing into U.S. campuses. Instead he chose to celebrate the arrangement and pose for photos. The scrutiny evaporates when a Democrat shows up. The lecturing is reserved for Republicans.
That’s the real story here. It’s not that Qatar is innocent. It’s that Murphy decided it’s innocent enough for a weekend trip and a kind word, even as he uses the same country to hammer Trump back home. If we’re going to worry about foreign influence, worry about all of it. Not just when it gives you a chance to score political points. Qatar is fine when it’s a Democrat’s photo op. It’s a scandal only when Trump is involved.
We’d laugh if the stakes weren’t so high. Universities are selling their names and curricula to foreign governments, and the Qataris are not philanthropists. They are investors. Murphy’s visit just gave them a clean bill of health. He can criticize the president all he wants, but next time he should look in the mirror before he boards the plane.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.