On Friday, October 10, 2025, the U.S. Department of Defense revealed a move that sent ripples through Washington and beyond: Secretary Pete Hegseth, joined by Qatar’s Minister of Defense, Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, announced at the Pentagon that the Qatari Emiri Air Force will establish a new facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. The announcement, which was broadcast by Fox News and quickly confirmed by Idaho’s U.S. Representative Mike Simpson, marks a significant step in U.S.-Qatari military cooperation and has ignited a fierce debate across the American political spectrum.
"I’m proud that today we are signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho. The location will be host to contingent Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality, interoperability—it's just another example of our partnership," Hegseth said, as reported by Fox News and other major outlets. The facility, which will operate as a foreign military training detachment under U.S. command oversight, is designed to allow Qatari pilots and jets to train side-by-side with U.S. forces, fostering what officials describe as "advanced training opportunities and combined operational readiness."
According to a Department of Defense official, the project is being executed via foreign military sales, a mechanism long used to strengthen ties with key allies. "Facilities Construction and Operational Support for Qatari F-15 Aircraft at Mountain Home Air Force Base was executed via foreign military sales, will enable the construction and operational integration of an enduring location for Qatari F-15 aircraft at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. The establishment of this facility will provide advanced training opportunities and foster combined operational readiness," the official told BoiseDev and Newsweek. The arrangement will also give Qatar "strategic flexibility to operate and sustain their advanced fighter aircraft," a point U.S. officials say is crucial for regional stability.
The timing of the announcement is no accident. Qatar has played a central role in recent peace negotiations to end the two-year-long war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Just days before the Pentagon event, Qatar’s prime minister participated in high-stakes ceasefire talks alongside American and Israeli officials, helping broker the first phase of a cease-fire deal, as reported by the Washington Post and Time. President Donald Trump, who has praised Qatar’s "substantial" contribution to these negotiations, announced on October 8 that Israel and Hamas had agreed to a deal, with Israel pulling its troops back to agreed positions in the Gaza Strip by October 10. Under the terms, Hamas has 72 hours to release the remaining 48 Israeli hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
Yet, the Idaho facility is not the first instance of foreign military training on U.S. soil. The Singaporean Air Force, for example, has maintained a presence at Mountain Home Air Base since 2009, training alongside American troops in a similar arrangement. The U.S.-Qatar military relationship, however, has deepened significantly in recent years. In 2017, the U.S. signed a $12 billion deal to provide Qatar with Boeing F-15 Eagle fighter jets and training, followed by a multi-million-dollar contract in 2019 for aircrew and maintenance training. A 2022 report from the Spokesman-Review indicated that Mountain Home was preparing for 170 Qatari trainees to arrive around early 2024, with plans for new housing and a dormitory to accommodate families—though it remains unclear if those plans have changed.
The political reaction, however, has been anything but harmonious. While many defense officials and some lawmakers have touted the move as a boon for U.S. national security and allied interoperability, others—especially within President Trump’s own "America First" base—have erupted in protest. Laura Loomer, a prominent far-right influencer and self-described Trump "loyalty enforcer," took to X (formerly Twitter) to vent her outrage: "Never thought I’d see Republicans give terror financing Muslims from Qatar a MILITARY BASE on US soil so they can murder Americans." Steve Bannon, former White House chief strategist, echoed the sentiment, telling Newsweek in a text message, "There should never be a military base of a foreign power on the sacred soil of America." Conservative commentator Amy Malek went further, accusing Qatar of "buying influence" and calling the deal "a shared delusion."
Even some centrist and left-leaning voices joined the criticism, albeit from different angles. Pennsylvania state Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, a Democrat, questioned the administration’s priorities, writing on X: "A new base for Qatar ON AMERICAN SOIL. A 20 billion dollar bail out for Argentina. A government that’s shut down. Is this really America first?" Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, chimed in: "An economic bailout for Argentina. An air force base for Qatar. This guy is doing everything but putting America first." Tommy Vietor, a former Obama administration spokesman, highlighted the apparent policy reversal, noting, "In 2017, Trump accused Qatar of being 'funders of terrorism' and now the US is going to host a Qatari military base on US soil???"
Supporters of the deal, meanwhile, point to precedent and strategic logic. Dan Caldwell, a former DOD official, argued on X that joint training agreements are common with U.S. allies who purchase American military hardware: "The freak out around this is of course totally unwarranted since this is actually a pretty common practice with countries that buy and operate a lot of U.S. military aircraft. Singapore has a similar facility and detachment for its F-15 training unit at this very same airbase." Indeed, the Department of Defense has emphasized that the new Qatari facility is strictly for training and operational cooperation, not for any independent Qatari military operations on U.S. soil.
The announcement also comes amid a swirl of high-profile U.S.-Qatar interactions. Earlier in 2025, Qatar gifted Trump a Boeing 747 jetliner, valued at up to $400 million, to be used as Air Force One—a gesture that drew bipartisan scrutiny and accusations of potential influence peddling. The White House insisted the gift was to the United States, not the president personally. In September, Trump signed an executive order declaring that "the United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States." That pledge, which essentially commits the U.S. to defend Qatar if attacked, has only intensified the debate over the true nature of the two countries’ alliance.
Qatar’s influence in Washington has not gone unnoticed. In addition to its military deals, the Gulf state recently inked a $5.5 billion development agreement with the Trump Organization, including a Trump-branded golf course and luxury beachside project. Critics, such as conservative radio host Mark Levin, see these ties as evidence of Qatar "buying itself a very sweet spot in Trumpworld." Others, including defense officials, counter that Qatar’s longstanding cooperation with the U.S.—including hosting key CENTCOM operations at Al-Udeid Air Base near Doha—makes it a vital partner in an increasingly volatile Middle East.
As the dust settles, the Mountain Home Air Force Base is poised to become the new epicenter of U.S.-Qatari military collaboration. Whether this will ultimately strengthen American security or fuel further controversy remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: in today’s Washington, even a military training agreement can spark a firestorm.
