Qatar is looking to purchase a $90 million stake in right-leaning television network Newsmax. Politico reported that representatives from the network, which is run by President Donald Trump’s longtime friend Chris Ruddy, had met in New York and at Mar-a-Lago with a younger brother of Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Politico said that Qataris viewed the potential stake as a way to gain political leverage at a time when the president closely monitors conservative media. The investment would reportedly likely be used to expand the network’s television operations as it attempts to woo former production staff and talent from Fox News. Ruddy denied the claims, saying that the story was “all false.”
