Dubai: Qatar has hired a Washington influence firm founded by President Donald Trum-p’s former campaign manager and another specialised in digging up dirt on US politicians, signalling it wants to challenge Saudi Arabia’s massive lobbying efforts in America’s capital amid a diplomatic dispute among Arab nations.

The Gulf rift already has seen slogan-plastered taxicabs in London, television attack ads in the US and competing messages flooding the internet and state-linked media on both sides since the crisis began June 5.

Hiring a firm associated with former Trump aide Corey Lewando- wski shows Qatar wants access to a White House with close ties to Saudi Arabia.

According to documents newly filed to the US Justice Department, Qatar has hired Avenue Strategies Global for $150,000 a month to “provide research, government relations and strategic consulting services”.