On October 10, 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stood shoulder to shoulder with Qatari Defense Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Pentagon, unveiling a plan that would soon ignite a firestorm across the American political landscape. The announcement? The United States would allow Qatar’s Emiri Air Force to establish a pilot training facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho—a move that, while not unprecedented, quickly became a lightning rod for controversy, particularly among President Donald Trump’s core supporters.
Hegseth’s words were clear at the podium: “Today, we’re announcing a letter of acceptance in building a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.” The facility, to be paid for by Qatar, would train Qatari pilots on F-15 jets purchased from the U.S. But the reaction on social media and among right-wing commentators was anything but calm. According to Rolling Stone, some MAGA-aligned influencers and supporters misinterpreted the plan, believing Qatar was being granted its own independent military base on American soil—a notion that quickly spiraled into accusations of betrayal and national security threats.
Laura Loomer, a far-right activist with significant sway in Trump circles, was among the first to voice outrage. “Never thought I’d see Republicans give terror financing Muslims from Qatar a MILITARY BASE on US soil so they can murder Americans,” she posted on X (formerly Twitter). Loomer’s criticisms didn’t stop there. She called the plan an “abomination” and a direct threat to U.S. security, later adding, “The Qatari influence on the Trump administration is totally out of control. It’s inappropriate to let Qatari’s have an Air Force base on US soil.” Loomer, who has described herself as a “proud Islamaphobe,” has a track record of influencing policy decisions within the Trump administration, including a recent campaign to end medical visas for Palestinians affected by the war in Gaza, according to TIME.
Steve Bannon, Trump’s former White House strategist, echoed the alarm. Speaking to Newsweek, he declared, “There should never be a military base of a foreign power on the sacred soil of America.” Conservative radio host Mark Levin took to X as well, lamenting, “I never dreamed of anything like this. We’ve not only agreed to go to war for Qatar but they’re now building an air force facility in our country. Shocking.” Levin referenced Qatar’s controversial past, including allegations of terrorist financing and support for extremist ideologies. “Despite the fact they enabled [terrorist Khalid Sheikh Mohammed] to escape and plot 9/11 and pour billions into our country promoting Islamism and anti-Americanism… Outrageous to most of us,” he wrote.
Faced with the mounting backlash, Hegseth issued a clarification on social media, stressing that “Qatar will not have their own base in the United States—nor anything like a base. We control the existing base, like we do with all partners.” He emphasized that the facility would remain under U.S. jurisdiction, a point the Department of Defense reiterated when contacted by TIME. The White House, for its part, did not respond to requests for comment.
J.D. Vance, a prominent Trump ally, sought to dispel the confusion during an appearance on Fox News. “This is largely a fake story,” Vance said, explaining, “We continue to have— with countries that we work with, we have relationships where sometimes their pilots work on our bases, sometimes we train together, sometimes we work together in other ways. The reporting that somehow there is going to be a Qatari base on United States soil, that’s just not true.”
Indeed, the practice of hosting foreign military training programs on U.S. soil is not new. As Rolling Stone and TIME both point out, Singapore, Germany, the Netherlands, and the U.K. have long maintained training facilities at American bases. The Singapore Army, for example, conducts large-scale exercises in the U.S., and the German air force operates a tactical training command in Texas. U.S. forces have also trained at Qatar’s al-Udeid Air Base. Yet, for many critics, Qatar’s participation feels different—largely due to its history and the Trump administration’s evolving relationship with the Gulf monarchy.
That relationship has grown increasingly complex. In June 2017, President Trump publicly accused Qatar of “funding terrorism at a very high level,” urging the country to end its support for extremist groups. Fast forward to his current term, and Trump’s stance appears markedly softened. Earlier this year, Qatar gifted Trump a $400 million luxury Boeing jet, intended to be converted into the next Air Force One—a move that drew bipartisan concern. National security experts warned that the Qatari government could have installed surveillance devices on the plane, raising the specter of potential security breaches. Democratic Senator Ed Markey didn’t mince words, telling TIME, “He’s going to turn Air Force One into Bribe Force One.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer remarked that the gesture was “the kind of thing that even Putin would give a double take.”
Trump defended the acceptance of the jet on Truth Social, insisting the “free” gift would save the U.S. money and that “only a FOOL would not accept.” Still, the optics of the deal, combined with a string of other Qatari partnerships, have fueled questions about the depth of the administration’s ties to Doha. In May 2025, the Trump Organization finalized its first overseas deal since Trump’s return to office: a luxury golf resort and villas on the Qatari coast, north of Doha. This arrangement, too, has come under scrutiny, with critics arguing it blurs the line between private business interests and national policy.
Adding another layer to the diplomatic entanglement, Trump signed an executive order earlier this month pledging to defend Qatar with “diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military” action. The order effectively grants Qatar the same type of protection afforded to NATO allies, a significant escalation in U.S.-Qatari relations and a move that has raised eyebrows across the political spectrum. President Joe Biden had previously designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally in 2022, laying the groundwork for deeper military cooperation.
Supporters of the administration point to Qatar’s role as a mediator in the recent Israel-Hamas ceasefire, highlighting the Gulf nation’s diplomatic influence. “No one other than President Trump could have achieved the peace—what we believe will be a lasting peace—in Gaza, and Qatar played a substantial role from the beginning, working with our folks to make sure that came about,” Hegseth declared during the Idaho announcement, as reported by TIME. The ceasefire agreement saw Israel pull back its forces in Gaza and paved the way for the release of remaining hostages, with the U.S. sending 200 troops to monitor the deal.
Not all conservatives are convinced by the administration’s reassurances or the strategic rationale behind the Idaho facility. Noah Rothman, a writer for The National Review, questioned, “What’s the strategic rationale for this? Either ours or Qatar’s?” Republican consultant Mike Madrid sarcastically contrasted the uproar over a Chinese balloon flying over U.S. airspace with the apparent acceptance of a Qatari air force facility: “They’re giving Qatar an entire f’ing air base.”
Amid the swirl of criticism, the facts remain: Qatar will not have an autonomous military base on U.S. soil. The Idaho facility will be built on an existing American base, controlled by the U.S. military, and used for training Qatari pilots on American-made F-15 jets. Similar arrangements exist with other allies, and the U.S. continues to maintain reciprocal training programs abroad.
Still, the episode underscores the deep divisions within American politics about the nation’s alliances, the influence of private business on foreign policy, and the ever-evolving definition of national security. As the dust settles in Idaho, the debate over America’s relationship with Qatar—and the broader question of who gets to train, and where—shows no sign of abating.