Qatar cops Trump hit

US President Donald Trump threw his weight behind efforts to isolate Qatar on Tuesday, backing Saudi Arabia and its allies after they cut ties with Doha over claims it supports extremism.

In a surprise move against a key US ally, Trump suggested Qatar – home to the largest US airbase in the Middle East – was funding extremism as he tacitly backed the diplomatic blockade of the emirate.

“So good to see the Saudi Arabia visit with the King and 50 countries already paying off,” Mr Trump tweeted, referring to his recent Riyadh visit.