Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on 10th October announced an agreement that has been finalized to allow the Qatari Emiri Air Force to build a complex at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.
The agreement, which was made by Hegseth with Qatari Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Pentagon, will allow Qatari pilots to be trained alongside U.S. soldiers. Foreign military bases are non-existent in the U.S., though there is some presence from foreign forces there to do training. There is a Singaporean Air Force presence, too, 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 in the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho.”
“The facility will be treated to a squadron of Qatari F-15s and aviators to further our joint training, lethality, interoperability; it’s simply another demonstration of partnership,” Hegseth stated. “And I hope you know, your excellency, you can rely on us.”
Later Friday, Hegseth explained the Qatari role, tweeting on X: “The U.S. military has a longstanding relationship with/ Qatar, including today’s announced cooperation with/ F-15QA aircraft. We control the existing base, like we do with all partners.”
The move is another sign of the increasing rapport between the Trump administration and Qatar.
President Trump signed an executive order “assuring the security of the state of Qatar” in response to Israel’s announcement that it would carry out a military strike in Qatar’s capital city, Doha, where a majority of the Qataris live. “The United States shall consider any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar a threat to the peace and security of the United States,” the executive order states.
Qatar also had a major role to play in the Israel-Hamas peace accord, Hegseth added Friday, and other top administration officials have admitted.
The Boeing 747-8 jetliner that was presented to Mr. Trump as a presidential airplane by Qatar also created controversy due to ethics related issues and issues pertaining to national security. Upon completion the plane will serve as Air Force one.
