Hegseth announces Qatar will build air force facility at U.S. base in Idaho

Washington — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday announced a finalized agreement that will allow the Qatari Emiri Air Force to build a facility at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. 

The agreement, which Hegseth announced alongside Qatari Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Pentagon, will allow Qatari pilots to receive training alongside U.S. soldiers. There are no foreign military bases in the U.S., but some foreign militaries do maintain a presence for training. The Singaporean Air Force also has a presence at the Mountain Home base. 

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,” Hegseth said. “And I hope you know, your excellency, that you can count on us.” 

The move is another demonstration of the Trump administration’s increasingly close relationship with Qatar. 

President Trump signed an executive order last month “assuring the security of the state of Qatar,” following Israel’s decision to carry out a military strike in Qatar’s capital city of Doha, where the vast majority of Qataris live. “The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States,” the executive order reads. 

Qatar also played a “substantial” role in the Israel-Hamas peace deal, as Hegseth said Friday and as other top administration officials have acknowledged. 

Mr. Trump’s decision to an accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jetliner from Qatar to use as a presidential plane also stirred up debate about ethical and national security-related concerns. When finished, the plane will be used as Air Force One.