Oct 28, 2026 · 55 min
UAE-Houthi ties expose fractures among Gulf allies
10/28/26: UAE Secretly Helping Houthis Against Saudis, Kushner Lawsuit Over Bribery Allegations
The episode connects Yemen’s shifting battlefield alliances to allegations about Gulf power brokers, secret financing, and Jared Kushner’s regional dealings.
- 1Reporting describes covert UAE assistance to the Iran-aligned Houthis despite the Emirates’ partnership with Saudi Arabia.
- 2Matthew Cole’s book examines Kushner’s ties to Gulf leaders, the Qatar blockade, and efforts to reshape Middle East politics.
- 3Cole addresses allegations involving secret funds, a suspected phone hack, documentary evidence, and anonymous sources.
Don't miss
Matthew Cole responds to criticism of allegations involving secret funds, a suspected phone hack, central-bank accounts, and anonymous sources.
The brief
Ryan Grim opens with reporting that the UAE covertly assisted Ansar Allah, or the Houthis, revealing an unexpected overlap among Emirati, Saudi, Iranian, and Yemeni interests.
The Yemen discussion turns on a central contradiction: the UAE and Saudi Arabia are partners, yet reporting describes Emirati intelligence cooperation benefiting a force aligned with Iran.
Matthew Cole joins to discuss Princes and Thieves, his book about Jared Kushner, Mohamed bin Zayed, the Qatar blockade, and efforts to reshape the Middle East.
Cole addresses allegations of secret funds, a suspected Kushner phone hack, Israeli central-bank accounts, and criticism over documentary evidence and anonymous sources.
Taken together, the conversation portrays Gulf politics as a contest among overlapping alliances, personal relationships, financial interests, and competing visions of regional power.
What was said on this episode
30 statements · 5 positive · 21 negative · 1 mixed · 3 neutral
The UAE could regain a strategic foothold in Yemen through the current conflict.
“the UAE was sidelined in Yemen by Saudi Arabia. so they stand to regain a strategic foothold in Yemen in this current conflict.”
Listen at 3:40
Ansar Allah recently attacked targets inside Saudi Arabia, including its main airport.
“Ansar Allah has conducted attacks inside Saudi Arabia, including strikes on their main airport recently.”
Listen at 3:58
The United States knew about the UAE’s covert assistance to Ansar Allah.
“The U.S. knows this is going on.”
Listen at 4:35
Saudi Arabia has failed to regain territory captured by Ansar Allah.
“The Saudis have unsuccessfully tried to regain the territory”
Listen at 5:44
The United States is in a ceasefire with the Houthis while openly fighting Iran.
“the U.S. is in an open war with Iran. ceasefire with the Houthis.”
Listen at 11:59
A long-term UAE coalition with Ansar Allah is unlikely and would lead to confrontation.
“there's going to be some type of long-term coalition with Ansar Allah is silly. That's headed for confrontation.”
Listen at 13:32
The UAE hopes to control part of southern Yemen and reach détente with Ansar Allah.
“the hope among the Emiratis would be that they would then remain in control of a swath of southern Yemen and reach some form of detente.”
Listen at 13:41
UAE assistance makes expanded U.S. intervention after the midterms less likely.
“I would assume less. It's certainly another sign of the wheels coming off.”
Listen at 14:26
The Trump administration appears intent on returning to war.
“the Trump administration seems intent on going back to war, period.”
Listen at 14:34
The book alleges a secret Kushner–bin Zayed plot to remake the Middle East.
“Jared Kushner and Mohammed bin Zayed's Secret Plot to Remake the Middle East.”
Listen at 18:22
Two funds were available for Jared Kushner, not three.
“There were two.”
Listen at 19:02
Israel provided and operated part of Iron Dome for the UAE.
“Israel provided part of the Iron Dome to the UAE and operated it for the UAE in the UAE.”
Listen at 20:32
Jared Kushner’s lawyer threatened a defamation lawsuit over the book.
“his lawyer has threatened to launch some sort of defamation suit.”
Listen at 21:44
Matthew Cole stands by the book’s reporting.
“I stand by the story.”
Listen at 23:04
Matthew Cole believes the book’s allegations are true.
“I believe that, you know, what's in the book is the truth.”
Listen at 23:11
The book reveals only a small portion of the broader Kushner story.
“this is really just the tip of the iceberg.”
Listen at 23:17
Kushner allegedly approved the Qatar blockade without broader U.S. government knowledge.
“Kushner essentially greenlit the blockade without anyone else in the U.S. government knowing.”
Listen at 30:17
Saudi Arabia and the UAE planned a military operation to overthrow Qatar’s emir.
“the Saudis were going to roll militarily over the border into Qatar with a UAE support in the air to try to overthrow the Amir, the Qatari Amir, Tamim al-Thani.”
Listen at 31:20
MBZ and MBS funded accounts coordinated with Kushner for him to manage.
“MBZ and MBS have agreed to and started initially providing these pools of money into bank accounts in coordination with Jared Kushner that he's going to manage.”
Listen at 32:13
Money began flowing into the accounts around the Qatar blockade.
“the money began then.”
Listen at 32:36
Qatar secretly arranged for a front to purchase 666 Fifth Avenue.
“they decided that they were going to secretly arrange for 666 to be purchased by essentially a front.”
Listen at 35:00
The reported sequence of events resembles extortion of Qatar.
“it's hard not to look at the sequence of events and the reporting I have and not see this as some form of extortion.”
Listen at 35:48
Russian intelligence hacked Jared Kushner’s phone.
“Jared Kushner's phone has been hacked by the Russians.”
Listen at 41:50
Hundreds of millions of dollars flowed into the Alpha account.
“hundreds of millions of dollars flowing into what I'll call the alpha account”
Listen at 44:10
MBS funded the Alpha pool, which MBZ managed in the UAE.
“this first alpha pool was a pool of money that was effectively paid for by MBS in Saudi Arabia, but managed in the UAE by MBZ.”
Listen at 45:18
Alpha account funds went to Erik Prince and Khalifa Haftar.
“that money from that account goes out to people like Eric Prince, the founder of Blackwater, to the Libyan renegade General Khalifa Haftar.”
Listen at 46:00
MBZ funded the Beta account for Jared Kushner.
“The Beta account was funded by MBZ for Jared.”
Listen at 46:56
Money for the Beta account was held at Israel’s central bank at Netanyahu’s suggestion.
“the money was put in held in the central bank of Israel at Netanyahu's suggestion”
Listen at 47:19
The Beta account was held at Israel’s central bank to conceal its purpose.
“the beta account was held in the central bank specifically and for the intent of hiding its true purpose”
Listen at 48:08
Cole’s book reports sexual blackmail, murder, assassins, and mercenaries.
“This is a story that has sexual blackmail, murder, assassins and mercenaries.”
Listen at 49:43
Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.
Books & mentions
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