Mountain Home Air Force Base, nestled in the high desert of Idaho, is used to the roar of fighter jets and the steady rhythm of international military cooperation. But on October 10, 2025, the base found itself at the center of a political storm after U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced a major new partnership: Qatar would build and manage an air force facility within the base, allowing Qatari F-15QA fighter jets and their pilots to train alongside American forces. The move, according to the Pentagon, is aimed at deepening U.S.-Qatari defense ties and enhancing joint military effectiveness in an increasingly volatile Middle East.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with Qatari Defense Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Hegseth signed a letter of acceptance for the facility, which will include new hangars and squadron infrastructure. The initiative, as Hegseth put it, “is just another example of our partnership.” He stressed that the location would “host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality, and strengthen interoperability.” Sheikh Saoud echoed the sentiment, calling the agreement “a reflection of the strong, enduring partnership and deep defense relationship between the two nations.”
Yet, the announcement has not gone unchallenged. Critics from across the political spectrum have questioned the wisdom—and the timing—of the deal. Far-right commentator Laura Loomer, for instance, lashed out on social media, describing the plan as “an abomination” and arguing that “no foreign nation should operate a military base on American soil.” Loomer’s words struck a chord with some Idahoans and national commentators who worry about the precedent set by allowing a foreign military to construct and manage infrastructure on U.S. territory.
Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek moved quickly to tamp down the criticism, clarifying that the new facility “does not constitute a foreign base.” Instead, she explained, it is part of a long-standing program to train allied forces, akin to existing arrangements with Singapore and Germany. In fact, Singaporean pilots already fly F-15SG fighter jets out of Mountain Home, and similar training partnerships are in place with European nations at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas and with the Egyptian Armed Forces in joint exercises with the Texas National Guard.
Local officials in Idaho offered a range of responses. State Senator Brian Lenny voiced concerns about the deal, reflecting the unease of some constituents who see the move as a potential security risk or an erosion of U.S. sovereignty. On the other hand, Idaho Representative Mike Simpson, whose district includes Mountain Home, called the announcement “fantastic news.” He argued, “This development is beneficial for training, enhances our partnership with America’s allies, and strengthens national security.” Senator Mike Crapo struck a more cautious note, stating he was still “waiting for further details about the agreement” but pledged to support the Air Force’s mission of global military readiness and the safety of Idahoans.
The timing of the announcement has fueled speculation and controversy, especially as it came just days after President Donald Trump accepted a $400-million Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatar, now expected to serve as the new Air Force One. U.S. officials have insisted that the facility deal was negotiated before the donation, but the optics of the two events occurring in quick succession have not gone unnoticed by critics.
More significantly, the Idaho deal comes on the heels of a dramatic escalation in regional tensions. On September 9, 2025, Israeli warplanes struck Doha, targeting senior Hamas officials in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a “targeted operation” in response to the October 7, 2023 massacre. The strike, which sent plumes of smoke over the Qatari capital and was confirmed by both the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency, drew immediate and widespread international condemnation. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry blasted the attack as a “cowardly Israeli attack that targeted residential buildings housing several members of Hamas’s Political Bureau.” Dr. Majed Al Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatar’s government, called it a “blatant violation of all international laws and norms” and warned that Doha “will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior and the ongoing disruption of regional security.”
In a rare diplomatic twist, Netanyahu reportedly called the Qatari Prime Minister from the White House during a visit to Washington, offering an apology and pledging to prevent any recurrence. The White House confirmed the call, noting that it came amid mounting pressure to keep U.S.-brokered negotiations between Israel and Hamas on track. Still, some Israeli officials continued to defend the operation. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared, “Terrorists have no and will have no immunity from the long arm of Israel anywhere in the world. A correct decision we made and perfect execution by the IDF and Shin Bet.”
Against this backdrop, President Trump signed a sweeping executive order on October 1, 2025, pledging that “any armed attack on Qatari territory” would be regarded as a threat to the United States itself. The order committed Washington to “take all lawful and appropriate measures—including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military—to defend the interests of the United States and of the State of Qatar and to restore peace and stability.” The executive order was widely interpreted as a direct response to the Israeli airstrike and as a signal that the U.S. views Qatar’s sovereignty as integral to its own security interests in the Gulf region.
Qatar’s growing strategic importance to the U.S. is not limited to the Idaho facility. The Gulf nation already hosts the massive al-Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East and the forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command. The Idaho partnership is seen as both a complement to this existing relationship and a powerful message to regional actors—including Israel—that Washington remains committed to its alliances and to deterring further destabilizing actions.
For its part, Qatar has played a key role in recent regional diplomacy. The Trump administration credited Doha with helping to mediate a peace deal between Israel and Hamas earlier in the week, and the Qatari government was instrumental in securing the release of a U.S. citizen in a prisoner exchange with Afghanistan on September 28, 2025. Secretary Hegseth praised these efforts, saying, “No one other than President Trump could have achieved the peace that we believe will be a lasting peace in Gaza.” Minister Al-Thani, too, pointed to the Idaho agreement as proof of “a common vision for peace and stability in the Middle East.”
Despite the political firestorm, the Pentagon maintains that the Idaho facility is part of a broader strategy to enhance joint training and operational coordination with key allies. As Ann Stefanek put it, “We control the existing base, like we do with all partners.” The move, supporters argue, is a logical extension of U.S. military practice and a necessary step in a world where alliances are more important than ever.
As the dust settles over Mountain Home, one thing is clear: the new partnership with Qatar is more than just a training arrangement—it is a signal of shifting alliances, deeper commitments, and the unpredictable interplay of diplomacy, defense, and domestic politics in a rapidly changing world.
