DUBAI: UAE billionaire Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor has openly lambasted US President Donald Trump over his decision to launch strikes against Iran, warning that the move has undermined Gulf stability and betrayed promises of peace. I
In a strongly worded post on X, the Dubai-based businessman said the region had been turned into a battlefield without consent, accusing Washington of dragging its allies into a war they did not choose.
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 criticism, which came on the 7th day of joint US-Israeli bombardment of Iran, appears striking given the UAE’s close alignment with both the United States and Israel in recent years. Abu Dhabi has deepened security and economic ties with Washington, while normalizing relations with Tel Aviv under the Abraham Accords.
In his social media post, Habtoor pointed out that Gulf states, including the UAE, had pledged billions of dollars to Trump’s newly launched Board of Peace initiative, which was meant and suppose to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction and foster regional stability. He argued that these funds were intended for development, not to bankroll a war that now threatens the very stability the board promised to deliver.
Habtoor, chairman of the Al Habtoor Group and one of the UAE’s wealthiest businessmen, has a history of dealings with Trump, including a planned hotel project in Dubai that collapsed after Trump’s controversial remarks about Muslims in 2015. Though he initially supported Trump’s 2016 campaign, Habtoor later distanced himself, saying he regretted his endorsement. His latest remarks reflect growing unease in Gulf capitals, where leaders have sought closer ties with Washington and Israel but now face the fallout of escalating conflict with Iran.
Accusing Trump of breaking his pledge to avoid foreign wars, Habtoor continued that US forces have intervened in seven countries during his second term. He warned that such decisions have eroded Trump’s approval ratings at home and fueled concern among Americans about another costly conflict. “True leadership is not measured by war decisions, but by wisdom, respect for others, and pushing toward achieving peace,” he wrote, highlighting the contradiction between Washington’s promises of partnership and its military actions in the region.
