Qatar to Build Air Force Facility at Idaho Base for F-15 Training
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Friday a significant expansion of the US-Qatar defense partnership, revealing that the Gulf nation will be permitted to construct an Air Force facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.
The new facility will serve as a host location for Qatari F-15 fighter jets and their pilots, allowing them to train directly alongside US troops. The move is designed to enhance combined training exercises and improve the joint operational capabilities of the two nations.
"The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase the lethality, interoperability," Secretary Hegseth stated during a meeting at the Pentagon with his Qatari counterpart, Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani. "It’s just another example of our partnership. And I hope you know, Your Excellency, that you can count on us.”
The announcement comes just weeks after President Trump signed an executive order to guarantee the security of Qatar, a major commitment to the non-NATO Arab ally. This security guarantee followed an Israeli operation against Hamas officials in Doha several days prior, which included an airstrike on Qatari territory.
However, sources speaking to CNN indicated that the plan to establish the Qatari facility has been in development for several years, dating back to the previous administration. A US official commented that the agreement with Qatar is a routine measure, noting that the Air Force has entered into similar decades-long arrangements with other partner nations, including Germany and Singapore.
The establishment of the new facility underscores the deepening strategic ties between the United States and Qatar.
Following the announcement of a Qatari Air Force facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth moved quickly to address concerns, clarifying that the agreement does not establish a Qatari-owned base on American soil.
In a post on X later Friday, Hegseth wrote, “The U.S. military has a long-standing partnership with/ Qatar, including today’s announced cooperation with/ F-15QA aircraft,” adding a firm distinction: “However, to be clear, Qatar will not have its own base in the United States—nor anything like a base.
The clarification came as the deal sparked immediate and sharp criticism from key allies of President Trump. Far-right activist Laura Loomer, a close Trump confidante, posted more than a dozen times on X, deriding the plan as “outrageous,” “an abomination,” and a “betrayal.”
Long-Planned Partnership Highlighted
The Defense Secretary defended the broader partnership with the Gulf nation, praising Qatar for playing a “substantial role” in the recent peace talks that culminated in a ceasefire and hostage swap deal between Israel and Hamas.
The plan for the Idaho facility, specifically for Qatari F-15QA training, is a long-gestating project. A 2022 announcement from Mountain Home Air Force Base, published during the previous administration of President Joe Biden, provided the results of an environmental assessment detailing the “potential impacts associated with the beddown of a US-led Qatar Emiri Air Force F-15QA squadron” at the location.