The United States has approved the construction of a Qatari air force facility at Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho, where Qatari F-15 fighter jets and pilots will be housed for joint training. The move marks a significant expansion of the US-Qatar defense partnership, according to an announcement by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Speaking at the Pentagon alongside Qatar’s Defence Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Hegseth said the facility would boost interoperability, enhance training, and strengthen military ties. “It’s another example of our partnership,” he said, adding that Qatar could count on continued US support. This follows President Trump’s executive order pledging to defend Qatar after Israeli air strikes in Doha.
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While Hegseth emphasized that the site would not be a separate Qatari base, some political voices, including far-right commentator Laura Loomer, criticized the decision. Loomer accused the US government of hosting “terror financing Muslims,” a claim not supported by the Pentagon. Hegseth later clarified, “Qatar will not have their own base… we control the existing base, like we do with all partners.”
The Idaho base already hosts a fighter jet squadron from Singapore, highlighting its role as a hub for international military cooperation. The plan to include Qatar was reportedly initiated under the previous Biden administration but finalized under the current government.
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The announcement comes amid a backdrop of Qatar’s growing diplomatic role in the Middle East. The Gulf nation recently helped broker a truce and prisoner-hostage deal between Israel and Hamas and facilitated the release of a US citizen from Afghanistan. The US also maintains its largest Middle East military base, Al Udeid, in Qatar.