Agendas · MEF Policy Notes
Qatar and Turkey: Money, Sanctuary and U.S. Exposure
Qatari money in U.S. universities and Turkey’s hosting of Hamas, two U.S. partners with direct reach into American institutions.
What the Notes Find
Qatar is the largest single country in the Education Department’s Section 117 file: $8.98 billion across 1,338 disclosed transactions with 67 institutions, and 587 of those transactions carry no source name. (MEF-PN-2026-01) Six universities with campuses in Doha’s Education City hold most of the money, led by Cornell at $3.38 billion. (MEF-PN-2026-01) Turkey hosts Hamas leaders and allows rallies praising Hamas while seeking a role in Gaza and new U.S. aircraft. (MEF-PN-2026-06) Both notes close with questions on what U.S. agencies verify, request and report. (MEF-PN-2026-06)
Reading Order
1 of 2 · MEF-PN-2026-01
Qatari Funding of U.S. Universities and Section 117 Disclosure
Qatar is the largest foreign source in the Education Department’s Section 117 file.
Findings
- Core point: Qatar is the largest single country in the Education Department’s Section 117 file: $8.98 billion across 1,338 disclosed transactions with 67 institutions.
- Where it lands: Six universities with campuses in Doha’s Education City hold most of it, led by Cornell at $3.38 billion.
- Trend line: An MEF audit counted a record $980 million in Qatari contributions between January 2023 and October 2024.
- Contested: A registered foreign agent for Qatar argues that more than 90 percent of the funding is spent in Qatar on branch-campus operations.
- Reporting gap: 587 of Qatar’s 1,338 disclosed transactions carry no source name in the federal file.
Questions for Oversight
- How much of Qatar’s $8.98 billion in disclosed entries reflects funds already received, as opposed to contract values that run into future years?
- How does the Department of Education verify the source field, given that 587 Qatar-origin transactions name no source?
- Do branch-campus clauses on respecting Qatari customs bind faculty who also teach at U.S. home campuses?
- How are foreign-government funds routed through U.S.-registered nonprofits treated under Section 117?
- What rights do foreign funders hold over research performed at branch campuses, and does any of it fall in export-controlled fields?
- What audit capacity does the Department have for institutions reporting more than $1 billion from a single country?
2 of 2 · MEF-PN-2026-06
Turkey and Hamas: Sanctuary, Money and U.S. Exposure
Turkey hosts Hamas officials and a listed company that Treasury designated as 75 percent Hamas-owned, while remaining a NATO ally and U.S. arms customer.
Findings
- Core point: Turkey hosts Hamas leaders and allows rallies praising Hamas while seeking a role in Gaza and new U.S. aircraft.
- On the record: Treasury designated Musa Daud Muhammad Akari, a senior Hamas official based in Turkey, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on November 19, 2024.
- Follow the money: An FBI affidavit filed in March 2025 traced Qassam Brigades crypto donations to accounts held by Palestinians with Turkish identity documents.
- Corporate footprint: Trend GYO, designated by Treasury as 75 percent owned by Hamas, trades on the Borsa Istanbul.
- Contested: Some Washington analysts see Turkey as a stabilizing partner; MEF’s Michael Rubin argues that “it is not possible to be both pro-Turkey and anti-Hamas.”
Questions for Oversight
- What has Treasury asked of Turkey regarding designated Hamas officials resident there, including Musa Akari?
- How do Turkish exchanges and banks respond to U.S. requests on accounts that received Qassam Brigades donations, given the FBI’s stated concern about BTCTurk?
- How are listed companies designated for Hamas ownership, such as Trend GYO, treated under U.S. secondary sanctions?
- What technology-security reviews apply to pending arms transfers to Turkey while it operates the S-400?
- What is the State Department’s assessment of Hamas fundraising and recruitment at public events in Turkey?
- How does Turkey’s relationship with Hamas factor into U.S. planning for postwar Gaza?
Bills Cited in These Notes
| Bill | Title | Cited In | Text and Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| H.R. 1048 | DETERRENT Act | MEF-PN-2026-01 | Congress.gov · Middle East Legislation in Congress |
| H.R. 1049 | Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education Act | MEF-PN-2026-01 | Congress.gov · Middle East Legislation in Congress |
| H.R. 9602 | Less Bureaucracy, Better International Foreign Gift Transparency Act | MEF-PN-2026-01 | Congress.gov · Middle East Legislation in Congress |
| H.J.Res. 200 | Providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to Turkey of certain defense articles and services. | MEF-PN-2026-06 | Congress.gov · Middle East Legislation in Congress |