Qatar denies claims Trump adviser received $500,000 from Qatar-linked figures

• The Qatari Embassy says Bruesewitz received no money from the Qatari state or at its direction.
• The allegations were made by former business partner Derek Utley in a Florida court filing.
• Qatar says no evidence was provided and accuses The New York Times of not seeking its comment.
• Bruesewitz's lawyer has rejected the allegations as fabricated.

Qatar denied Monday allegations that Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz received $500,000 from individuals linked to the Gulf state, calling the claims false.

In a statement issued on Nov. 10, the Qatari Embassy in Washington said Bruesewitz had received no money from the State of Qatar or at its direction.

The response followed reports published by The New York Times and other media on Nov. 9 concerning allegations made by Derek Utley, Bruesewitz's former business partner, in a legal dispute in Florida.

According to the allegations outlined in Utley's court filing, Bruesewitz received approximately $500,000 from individuals associated with Qatar through an undisclosed business or consulting arrangement.

The Qatari Embassy said no evidence had been cited to substantiate the claim and criticized The New York Times for not contacting Qatari representatives for comment before publishing its report. It added that the embassy had advised Utley's lawyers to correct what it described as a misrepresentation to the court.

Bruesewitz faces allegations over foreign payments

Utley and Bruesewitz co-founded the digital political consulting firm X Strategies in 2017. The company filed a lawsuit against Utley in Sep. 2026, accusing him of embezzling company funds and misusing millions of dollars. Utley has denied the accusations, describing the case against him as a marketing exercise and disputing the circumstances surrounding his departure.

In his court filing responding to the allegations against him, Utley raised questions about Bruesewitz's alleged financial relationships with foreign individuals, investors and government representatives, including people associated with Qatar and Syria.

The filing also alleged that Bruesewitz sought to charge a Copenhagen-based investment firm an annual advisory fee of $1 million for services that included providing access to US government officials, federal agencies and financial institutions.

Utley further alleged that Bruesewitz told him two Syrian billionaires had paid for his honeymoon hotel stay in the Maldives, including access to a suite that ordinarily costs $15,000 a night.

Bruesewitz's lawyer, Bradford Cohen, rejected the allegations, describing them as untrue, exaggerated or fabricated, and said he would vigorously defend against them.

The claims have raised questions about potential obligations under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which requires individuals acting on behalf of foreign principals in certain political, lobbying and public relations activities in the United States to disclose their relationships and activities to the Justice Department.

Bruesewitz, who helped shape Trump's 2024 campaign digital strategy, has previously spoken against foreign influence in American politics. In a June 2026 interview with Tucker Carlson, he said he did not accept money from foreign governments or interests, specifically ruling out payments from Gulf countries, India, Russia and China.

The allegations remain unproven, and neither the Qatari government nor Bruesewitz has been found to have engaged in wrongdoing in connection with the claims.

Statement by the Embassy of the State of Qatar in the United States https://t.co/6MM73aBpOg

— Embassy of Qatar in USA (@QatarEmbassy_US) November 10, 2026