Leavitt hints Trump interested in asking Gulf States to pay for Iran war

During the Monday press briefing, Leavitt fielded a question from a reporter who recalled that Arab nations paid for much of the First Gulf War and asked if they would make similar contributions.

Published: March 30, 2026 2:08pm

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday indicated that President Donald Trump was interested in the prospect of asking the Gulf States to pay for the Iran war.

During the Monday press briefing, Leavitt fielded a question from a reporter who recalled that Arab nations paid for much of the First Gulf War and asked if they would make similar contributions.

"I think it's something the president would be quite interested in calling them to do. I won't get ahead of him on that. But certainly, it's an idea that he has, and I think you'll hear more from him on," Leavitt said.

Relations between the U.S. and the Gulf States have deteriorated somewhat amid the Iran war and the Iranian targeting of Gulf State infrastructure in the wake of the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes that kicked off the conflict.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.

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