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MAGA Influencers Face Blowback Over Lavish Qatar Trip

Reporting links the junket to Qatar’s broader soft‑power push targeting Trump‑world.

Overview

  • Over Thanksgiving, Emily Wilson, Caitlin Sinclair, and Rob Smith showcased luxury stops in Doha, including the Formula 1 Paddock Club and Cipriani Doha, along with an appearance involving Serena Williams.
  • The influencers also met Qatari officials, and Smith described the discussions as about “mutually beneficial military and financial partnerships” with the United States.
  • The funding source for the travel has not been disclosed, and some conservative commentators cast it as foreign influence, with a Newsmax contributor calling it a “hostile subversion campaign.”
  • Wilson drew intense criticism after praising Qatar and disparaging the United States on social media and her podcast, prompting questions about her previously pro‑Israel stance.
  • Laura Loomer denounced the visit by citing Qatar’s laws against homosexuality in attacks on Smith, and influencer Xavier DuRousseau said he was uninvited after raising concerns about the sponsor.