The Mafioso Style: Paying for Security in the Persian Gulf

In a manner evocative of mafia-style extortion, President Trump has demanded that Gulf countries reimburse the United States for the protection provided by the U.S. military against Iranian attacks. From the Oval Office, the president named Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Kuwait as beneficiaries of his administration’s “protection.”

“We are protecting a very rich part of the world, we are spending money, so they are going to reimburse us for this protection,” the American president told reporters at the White House.

The pressure campaign comes after months in which Gulf states have been directly exposed to Iranian retaliatory strikes. Since late February, Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet, and Kuwait, home to Ali Al Salem Air Base, have been repeatedly struck by ballistic missiles and drones targeting American interests on their soil.

According to a tally reported by the Anadolu Agency, Iran attacked seven Arab countries with more than 6,400 missiles and drones over a 41-day period in the spring. Qatar did not escape unscathed: debris from intercepted ballistic missiles over Doha injured several civilians, including a child, and a Qatari national lost his life during a maritime search-and-rescue operation. The United Arab Emirates also saw its defense systems come under Iranian fire, while Jordan intercepted multiple waves of missiles directed at its territory.

Analysts at the American JINSA institute estimate that Gulf countries have depleted a significant portion of their Patriot interceptor reserves: Kuwait and the UAE used approximately 75 percent of their stockpiles, while Bahrain consumed up to 87 percent.

President Trump has previously alluded to an economic mechanism tied to the Strait of Hormuz, whereby the United States would declare itself the “guardian” of the maritime passage in exchange for a 20 percent commission on cargo transiting the route. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected that proposal, asserting on social media that Iran remains the true guarantor of the Strait and, as such, should be compensated for the service.

Trump also contended that Washington has no need for its Gulf allies, claiming that the United States holds larger oil reserves than any other country. Nevertheless, he described the relationship as highly effective, without offering concrete details on the specific modalities of the reimbursement sought from the affected capitals.