In a move that has ignited fierce debate across the American political spectrum, the Trump administration has approved the establishment of a Qatari Emiri Air Force training facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. The agreement, signed on October 10, 2025, by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Qatari Defense Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, marks a significant deepening of military cooperation between the two nations. Yet, the announcement has triggered a dramatic backlash, particularly from President Donald Trump’s own MAGA supporters, who accuse him of betraying the very “America First” principles that propelled him to power.
The plan is straightforward on paper: Qatar will fully fund the construction of the facility, which will be used to train its pilots on F-15 fighter jets recently purchased from the United States. According to the Qatari embassy, the project will accommodate 12 F-15 jets and around 300 personnel, and is intended to strengthen interoperability and maintain regional security partnerships. The embassy also emphasized that the initiative is part of a decade-long defense partnership with the U.S., and will create American jobs in Idaho. Secretary Hegseth characterized the deal as a natural extension of the "long-standing partnership" between the U.S. military and Qatar, highlighting ongoing cooperation with the F-15QA aircraft.
But the announcement was met with swift and ferocious opposition from several high-profile figures within the Trump movement. Steve Bannon, Trump’s former White House chief strategist, minced no words in his condemnation. As reported by Newsweek, Bannon declared, “There should never be a military base of a foreign power on the sacred soil of America.” Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and self-identified Islamophobe with significant influence in Trump circles, was even more scathing. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Loomer wrote, “Never thought I’d see Republicans give terror financing Muslims from Qatar a MILITARY BASE on US soil so they can murder Americans.” Loomer went further, vowing not to vote in 2026, and added, “I cannot in good conscience make any excuses for the harboring of jihadis.” She also circulated a 2017 video clip of Trump accusing Qatar of funding terrorism "at a very high level."
The outrage wasn’t limited to Trump’s most loyal base. Conservative columnist Noah Rothman questioned the strategic rationale for the deal, asking on social media, “What’s the strategic rationale for this? Either ours or Qatar’s?” Republican strategist Mike Madrid drew a pointed comparison to earlier controversies, saying, “Joe Biden was criticized for a Chinese balloon flying over our airspace. They’re giving Qatar an entire f’ing air base.” The Idaho Freedom Foundation, a local conservative group, called the decision “a completely unacceptable overreach” that jeopardizes both national and state interests.
Amid the uproar, Secretary Hegseth quickly issued a public clarification, hoping to stem the tide of criticism. “To be clear, Qatar will not have its own base in the United States—nor anything like a base. We control the existing base, like we do with all partners,” he wrote on X. Hegseth also emphasized that the facility would remain under U.S. jurisdiction and that the arrangement mirrors similar agreements with other U.S. allies. For example, the German air force maintains a tactical training command in Texas, and more than 1,000 Singaporean military personnel train in the U.S. each year. Pilots from several NATO allies also routinely use U.S. bases for training purposes.
Despite these reassurances, Loomer and others remained unconvinced. Loomer doubled down, stating, “A jihadist in a suit is still a jihadi. It’s a threat to our national security.” The White House, for its part, declined to issue an official comment on the matter, while the Department of Defense simply referred inquiries back to Hegseth’s public statements.
The controversy over the Idaho facility comes at a time when Trump’s relationship with Qatar is under heightened scrutiny. Earlier this year, the Trump family business struck a deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar. In May, Trump announced he would accept a $400 million Boeing jet from the Qatari government, describing it on Truth Social as a “free” gift that would save the U.S. money, and claiming that “only a FOOL would not accept.” The move drew bipartisan criticism, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calling it “the kind of thing that even Putin would give a double take,” and Democratic Senator Ed Markey quipping, “He’s going to turn Air Force One into Bribe Force One.”
Adding a further international dimension to the story, the Qatari deal follows the Gulf nation’s prominent role—alongside the U.S. and Egypt—as a mediator in the recently enacted Israel-Hamas peace deal and ceasefire. On the same day the Idaho facility was announced, Israel pulled back its forces in the Gaza Strip to agreed-upon lines, and Hamas was expected to release the remaining 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. The U.S. has pledged to send 200 troops to Israel to help monitor the ceasefire agreement. Secretary Hegseth, during the Idaho announcement, praised both Trump and Qatar for their roles in brokering the peace, stating, “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.”
Supporters of the deal argue that such international military training partnerships are vital for maintaining U.S. influence, ensuring the security of advanced U.S. weaponry sold abroad, and deepening strategic alliances. They point to the jobs and economic benefits for Idaho, as well as the precedent set by similar arrangements with other allied nations. Qatar’s officials have echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the project’s contribution to American employment and regional security.
Yet, the backlash from Trump’s base exposes a widening rift within the conservative movement. Figures like Loomer and Bannon, once among Trump’s staunchest defenders, now accuse him of hypocrisy and national security negligence. Critics worry that allowing Qatari personnel to train on U.S. soil crosses a symbolic line, undermining the administration’s “America First” brand and raising questions about foreign influence—especially in light of Trump’s burgeoning business ties with Qatar.
For now, the Idaho facility is set to move forward, but the political fallout is far from over. As the U.S. navigates its complex relationships in the Middle East and at home, the debate over the Qatari air force training facility highlights the ongoing tension between pragmatic international cooperation and the populist, nationalist rhetoric that continues to shape American politics.
With both sides digging in, the controversy surrounding the Idaho base may prove to be an early test of how the Trump administration balances its global ambitions with the demands of its most ardent supporters.
