Qatar will build an Air Force facility at US’ Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, defense secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday.Hegseth made the announcement at the Pentagon alongside Qatari Defense Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, noting that the agreement will allow Qatari pilots to train alongside US personnel.Hegseth said he is “proud that today we’re signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emiri Air Force Facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho.”“The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15’s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality, interoperability, it’s just another example of our partnership,” he said, as cited by CBS News.“And I hope you know, your excellency, that you can count on us.” While the US does not host any foreign military bases, several allied forces maintain training presences within the country. The Singaporean Air Force, for instance, also operates at Mountain Home Air Force Base. “The US military has a long-standing partnership w/ Qatar, including today’s announced cooperation w/ F-15QA aircraft. However, to be clear, 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,” Hegseth later said through a post on X, clarifying that Qatar is not going to have its own military base in the US. The announcement drew strong criticism from Trump ally and right-wing influencer Laura Loomer, who called the plan “an abomination” and accused Qatar of ties to Islamic terrorist organizations.“No foreign country should have a military base on US soil. Especially Islamic countries,” Loomer said through a post on social media.The announcement follows President Donald Trump’s recent executive order pledging to use all measures, including military force, to defend Qatar, home to the largest US military base in the Middle East.Qatar also played a “substantial” role in the Israel-Hamas peace agreement, Hegseth noted Friday, a point echoed by other senior administration officials.Trump’s decision to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatar for use as a presidential plane has sparked debate over ethical and national security implications. Once completed, the aircraft will serve as Air Force One.
