Overview
- Reports published Wednesday show that the decision to wage war on Iran has unsettled the UAE and damaged personal trust in President Trump among many residents and foreign workers.
- Patrons at the Trump International Golf Club in Dubai told reporters they now feel uneasy about frequenting the club and said they have lost trust in Trump after weeks of missile and drone activity.
- Prominent Emirati voices, including billionaire Khalaf Al Habtoor, published sharp public criticism that echoed private complaints from business leaders who say they feel they were 'played' by broken expectations of no new conflict.
- Gulf governments continue to publicly praise ties with the United States even as officials and analysts stress that reliance on U.S. security and missile defenses leaves them little room to break with Washington.
- The reputational hit could slow business deals and deter expatriate spending in the short term, and it raises the risk that local elites will demand clearer U.S. guarantees or seek to diversify partners over time.