US Democratic Senator Chris Murphy has accused the Pentagon of obstructing congressional oversight after he was denied access to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a key US military facility that has been targeted by Iran during the ongoing conflict. Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sought to visit the base during a congressional trip to the Gulf to assess the impact of the war on US facilities and regional partners. Speaking to journalists in Riyadh after travelling to Qatar, Murphy alleged that the Pentagon's decision was part of a broader effort to prevent Congress and the American public from seeing the full consequences of the conflict.
Al Udeid, the largest US military base in the Middle East, has been targeted by Iran during the conflict that began following US-Israeli military action against Iran in February. Murphy had publicly stated before the visit that one of the purposes of his trip was to see firsthand the damage inflicted on US facilities and discuss the regional consequences of the war with Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The senator said the Pentagon not only prevented him from visiting Al Udeid but also declined to arrange a briefing on the war while he was in the region.
The Pentagon, however, rejected the implication that Murphy had been singled out. A senior Pentagon official said Murphy's office had been informed before his trip that the Department of Defense would not support his visit to the base, citing a March 3, 2026 directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth restricting travel to the area. Murphy contrasted the Pentagon's position with that of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whom he said had assisted with the trip and helped arrange meetings with US diplomats and regional officials.
During his stop in Qatar, Murphy met Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani as well as senior officials involved in regional diplomacy. His office said the discussions covered the Iran war, regional security and the future of US relations with Gulf states. Murphy subsequently travelled to Saudi Arabia, where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other senior officials.
The dispute over access to Al Udeid comes amid broader pressure from members of Congress, including lawmakers from President Donald Trump's Republican Party, for more information from the administration about the costs, casualties and strategy surrounding the conflict. Murphy has been a prominent critic of the war and has challenged the administration over its legal authority to conduct military operations without further congressional authorization. Here we are to serve you with news right now.
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