The government of Qatar has hired former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft to help the country challenge accusations from its Arab neighbors and U.S. President Donald Trump that it supports terrorism. Qatar will pay the Ashcroft Law Firm $2.5 million for 90 days of work as the country seeks to confirm its efforts to fight global terrorism and comply with financial regulations including U.S. Treasury rules. The revelations about the hiring of Ashcroft's law firm were contained in a filing with the U.S. Justice Department that was made on June 9 in accordance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act. A letter submitted in the filing by Ashcroft Law Firm partner Michael Sullivan said the firm's work would "include crisis response and management, program and system analysis, media outreach, education and advocacy regarding the client's historical, current and future efforts to combat global terror and its compliance goals and accomplishments." Qatar faces isolation by fellow Arab countries after Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), and Egypt severed ties with Doha on June 5, accusing it of supporting Islamist militants and their adversary Iran. Trump on June 9 said Qatar "has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level." Trump's remarks came shortly after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on Saudi Arabia and its allies to ease their land and sea "blockade against Qatar. Saudi Arabia on June 10 praised Trump for his remarks about Qatar.
