Rex Tillerson called for end to Qatar blockade, and then Trump stepped in

President Donald Trump is accusing Qatar of funding terrorism at a “very high level” and says it must stop now.

Trump says the country has “historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level.” He says that funding has to end.

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Qatar hosts roughly 10,000 U.S. troops and serves as a major staging base for the U.S. military’s Mideast operations. The tiny country has long denied supporting or funding terror groups.

But Western diplomats accuse the country of allowing or even encouraging the funding of some Sunni extremists.

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READ MORE: Trump still enjoys Republicans’ support despite James Comey’s damning testimony

Trump’s comments Friday came shortly after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on Arab nations to immediately ease their blockade on Qatar.

He warned that the Persian Gulf crisis is hindering U.S. efforts to fight the Islamic State group.