After announcing on Friday that the Trump administration would be providing an air base in Idaho to Qatar, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth backtracked, issuing a clarification on social media in response to a growing backlash.
“Important clarification,” Hegseth wrote in the post, published to X. “The U.S. 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.”
Earlier in the day, Hegseth—joined by Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani at the Pentagon—announced the building of a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.
“The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase, lethality, interoperability. It’s just another example of our partnership, and I hope you know, your Excellency, that you can count on us,” Hegseth said.
Political commentators of all stripes reacted with shock to the news. Typically steadfast Trump ally Laura Loomer posted on X, “Never thought I’d see Republicans give terror financing Muslims from Qatar a MILITARY BASE on U.S. soil. I don’t think I’ll be voting in 2026... This is where I draw the line.”
Former Obama aide and Pod Save America co-host Tommy Vietor highlighted Trump’s hypocrisy, writing, “In 2017, Trump accused Qatar of being ‘funders of terrorism’ and now the U.S. is going to host a Qatari military base on U.S. soil???”
In response to inquiries sent to the Office of the Secretary of Defense by defense news outlet Defense One, the office said, “The establishment of an enduring location for Qatari F-15 aircraft at Mountain Home Air Force Base provides Qatar with strategic flexibility to operate and sustain their advanced fighter aircraft.”
“It will enable combined training opportunities between Qatar and the United States, fostering stronger defense partnerships and enhancing joint operational capabilities.”
The email also described the base as an “enduring location for Qatari F-15 aircraft,” although it did not shed additional light on the question of ownership or control of the base.
The U.S. previously agreed to sell combat jets to Qatar in 2017, and in 2022 the idea of bringing members of Qatar’s air force to Mountain Home Air Force Base was floated.
Earlier this year, Qatar gave Trump a $400 million private plane, with the expectation that he would convert it into Air Force One.
On Thursday, Republicans in the Senate voted against a Democrat amendment that would block funding to procure or modify a foreign aircraft to use as a presidential plane, clearing the way for Trump to use his gift as he sees fit.
