Hegseth Announces Idaho Military Base Will Host Qatari Air Force
Could we stop cozying up to Qatar?
Excuse me?
Is anyone else worried about the Trump administration being so cozy with Qatar?
If you’re not…you should be.
Has everyone forgotten why Israel struck Qatar last month?
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a deal with Qatar to host a Qatari Emiri Air Force Facility at Idaho’s Mountain Home Air Force Base.
Hegseth said:
I’m also proud that today we’re announcing or signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho. The location will be host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality, interoperability. It is just another example of our partnership. And I hope, hope you know Your Excellency, that you can count on us. We saw in Midnight Hammer, in those moments when we needed support in the region, that Qatar was there without a doubt, without a blink. And that has meant a great deal. I’ve had the opportunity to see that firsthand operationally. I want to thank you. Thank your country for that, for hosting our troops. It’s wonderful to welcome you to Pentagon.
🚨Secretary of War: We're Building A Qatar Air Force Facility In Idaho
Pete Hegseth: "Today we're signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari amiri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho." pic.twitter.com/7W4VT1EDl4
— Mr Producer (@RichSementa) October 10, 2025
Operation Midnight Hammer happened in June when the U.S. struck Iranian nuclear sites.
Hegseth also gushed over Qatar’s cooperation regarding the recent efforts to get the hostages back from Hamas in Gaza.
Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said:
We also value the close cooperation between Doha and Washington that led to the signing of the Gaza peace plan on October 8. This historic achievement underscore what can be accomplished when our nations work together with courage and trust amongst other partners such as Egypt and Turkey. We further welcome today’s signing of the letter of acceptance establishing a Qatari Emir Air Force facility at Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho. This steps strengthen enhances joint readiness and advance our shared defense goals. Mr. Secretary, together, we will continue to deepen the strategic partnership in pursuit of lasting peace and shared security. Thank you very much.
NOW – U.S. and Qatar sign deal to open a Qatari "air force facility," in the U.S., at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. pic.twitter.com/XnIaOXexid
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) October 10, 2025
I…I really do not want to be mentioned in the same breath as Egypt and Turkey.
What are we doing?
Just a month ago, Israel targeted the Hamas leadership in Doha. As Vijeta noted, “Hamas leaders Khalil al-Hayya, Khaled Mashal, and others were seen celebrating the massacre at their Doha command center” on October 7, 2023.
Israel eliminated the top five Hamas leaders in the strike.
Trump insisted Israel only told his administration about the strike after the country launched the missile and distanced himself from the attack.
Trump demanded that his team alert Qatar. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump felt “very badly” about the strike because Qatar is a close ally of America.
Well, tell Qatar to stop harboring terrorists!
Earlier today, Secretary of War Hegseth hosted Qatari Minister of Defense Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Pentagon.
This is the same guy who posted "We are all Hamas" and glorified the Qassam Brigades pic.twitter.com/Ti01qElWwm
— Eitan Fischberger (@EFischberger) October 10, 2025
I'm all for cooperation and building alliances, but I'd set a condition that you stop harboring terrorist leaders in your country before I'd let them set foot in our country, let alone train them on how to better use weapons of war. But that's just me, @PeteHegseth. https://t.co/InEoj4y5gE
— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) October 10, 2025
The amount of Qatari influence with this administration should be as concerning as Chinese influence over the last one. https://t.co/2qbRI5nwrb
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) October 10, 2025
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Comments
My personal opinion is that this is about wooing Qatar away from China. I too worry about the cost.
I have no problem with training their pilots. Why we sold them f15 is another discussion but we train a lot of countries pilots. The problem I have is with hosting a Qatari facility. Why? We build bases in other countries. It should not be the other way around.
We train pilots from all over the world in San Antonio. Why not 15 training in Idaho. It’s clear this was a perk from backing the Gaza Peace Plan. So, quit clutching your pearls.
The Germans used to have a base near El Paso.
What part of “I have no problem with training their pilots.” do you not understand,
Nothing new here. Its going to be facilities for the Qatari at an existing US base. Barracks and probably a separate dining site for Halal meals. Its likely the Qatari’s plan to rotate pilots and crews long term for continued training. One of the bad things about Arab culture is they suck at passing knowledge along. If you are the only one that knows something (because you are the only person that went to an American class on that piece of equipment) you have power over others. Sharing knowledge dilutes that power.
When I went to boot camp (45 years ago) we had a Saudi company there. They had their own barracks building and dining hall separate from the rest of us.
The bad part is the glory-seeking semi-Republicans who happily regurgitate the Dem party line about how this is an evil Trump payback for the Air Force One replacement and various other things. This deal was part of a weapons deal signed two years (or a bit more) ago. In short, here’s a bunch of F-15 aircraft for this giant ball of money, and we’ll conduct training in the US for pilots and support personnel. It’s hard to hear the truth over the anguished shrieks of the Leftists.
40 yrs ago we had several officers from Arab countries like Turkey and Egypt go through jump school with us. It’s far from unusual to host joint exercises with countries in the middle east.
Qatar is rich because it has massive natural gas and oil reserves, few citizens to share the profits with, and has managed its resources and global investments very effectively. They are not overtly political beyond pursuing what they believe is good for Qatar.
I have no problems with training their pilots. It does bring them closer to the U.S. vs alignment with China (a good thing), and their fighter pilot program is not a significant or even meaningful military program. It’s a vanity project for them which allows their rich kids to become cool fighter pilots. (See:Japan’s air force as an example.)
Qatar views themselves as a sort of middle-eastern Switzerland -a neutral country- in the midst of the turmoil. Think of them allowing Hamas there in that light. They are not aligned with Hamas; they’re merely indifferent to them.
Now also note that:
a. They didn’t get all pissy with the U.S. after the Israeli strike in their country.
b. They just signed up for our pilot school.
Their air force is pretty substantial.
36 Dassault Rafale from France
24 Eurofighter Typhoon from Germany/United Kingdom/Italy/Spain
37 F-15EX Eagle II from United States
No no no we don’t need anymore freaking Muslims in this country
And ones with fighter jets?
Gee, what could go wrong
No more Muslims
No more Muslims!!!
One step forward, two steps back.
“Well, tell Qatar to stop harboring terrorists!”
Also, stop funding baby terrorists in our universities!
I feel as uneasy about this administration’s coziness with Qatar as I did about the Bush administration’s coziness with Saudi Arabia.
I’m wondering if we got forced to bend the knee to Qatar because of our ally’s bombing attack.
Doubtful. There’s probably something publicly unknown at work pushing us toward this too-close relationship with Qatar.
I don’t like it.
I also have a problem with foreigners in our military academies, including a Qatari this year ( West Point).
When I traveled I would have to go through Qatar. I had a butane soldering torch in my tools. They are against the law there. Deported and restricted from returning for a year. Strike 1. Entering legally with a visa and they find an Israeli visa stamp in passport, deported. Strike 2. On a military flight that got diverted to Qatar and I did not have a visa., Strike 3. Lifetime ban
“Strike 1. Entering legally with a visa and they find an Israeli visa stamp in passport, deported.”
That definitely doesn’t sound like someplace we should be cozy with…
From what I understand, quite a few Middle East countries are like that, and the Israeli visa stamp can be done on a removable piece of paper so you don’t get stopped at the border because of the unclean stamp.
The greasy, duplicitous and wretched Qatari regime has not come close to repenting and making amends for its sheltering of Hamas leaders, and, for its decades-old, lavish and still-ongoing patronage of Muslim terrorist groups, around the world.
I think one legitimate criticism of #47’s otherwise robust and accomplished foreign policy has been his inability/failure to get tough with the Qatari regime. It’s disappointing, frankly, and, smacks of naivete.
Maybe somebody already said, F15 is considered older generation aircraft nowadays. Its been around since the 1970s. Its considered inferior to what Israel uses. It also makes Qatar dependent on US for spare parts to keep them flying. Even if Qatar convulsed into revolution tomorrow, the US could cut off their parts supply and their aircraft would go into decline in few years. The US has had similar arrangements with countries like Jordan and Egypt. Its better they buy their military hardware US rather than from russia and becoming russian client states.
The issue isn’t selling military hardware to foreign states — it’s having an active Qatari military presence/exchange program on U.S. soil, at a U.S. military base.
Given that the Qatari regime sheltered Hamas leaders and is a lavish sponsor of Muslim terrorist groups, this arrangement is simply inappropriate, and smacks of obsequious and overly deferential dhimmitude.
Another strike against them is all the money they funnel into US universities. Part of the hiring of antisemites and the rise of antisemitism on campus is do to this funding. I’m guessing they also fund the spread of Islam and the building of mosques in this country not that American muslims lack building funds,
Trump just inked a deal to stop the war between Israel and Hamas. The true accomplishment was getting so many countries to sign on, thus pressuring Hamas to agree to the terms imposed.
I would not be surprised if Qatar’s access to USmilitary training is part of the deal for Qatar to sign on and overlook the Israeli attack on its soil.
Regarding your last sentence — I suspect you’re correct, but, this move is still obsequious, overly deferential and ill-advised.
Qatar should have repented and made substantive amends for its sheltering of Hamas leaders and decades of Muslim terrorist sponsorship, before such a deal was made. That’s just common sense.
If you think that any of the nations that formerly supported Hamas have “repented”, I have some bad news for you.
The premise behind the peace deal is for the Middle East to concentrate on economic development rather than hate for Israel. The hate is still there.
The US has historically maintained relationships with several militaries in the Middle East. These relationships included training and exercises (in the distant past). Training always included discussions on the Law of Armed Conflict and the responsibility to avoid targeting non-combatants, so this cooperation is not necessarily a bad thing.
Surah 3:151: “We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve (all non-Muslims) …”
Surah 2:191: “And kill them (non-Muslims) wherever you find them … kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers (non-Muslims).”
Surah 9:5: “Then kill the disbelievers (non-Muslims) wherever you find them, capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush …”
Qur’an 4:89
“They wish you would disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so you may all be alike. So do not take them as allies unless they emigrate in the cause of Allah. But if they turn away, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and do not take any of them as allies or helpers”.
Your interpretations may of course vary, especially if you have actually read the Koran. When I did so about 25 years ago I kept feeling I had read the same “subject” before. I finally realized many commands are indeed addressed multiple times, sometimes seemingly attempting to contextualize the teaching. My take on contextualizing was often the opinion that it was excusing.
I am skeptical of Muslims who proclaim they are peaceful and yet follow the teachings of the Koran. Are so-called radicals actually radicals? Or are they actually more mainstream and willing to publicly profess their religion? I do not understand how both positions can be simultaneously true.
Qatar is like Switzerland?
What’s the Swiss counterpart to Al Jazeera?
Toblerone.
Unfortunately they didn’t. The strike was too small and they didn’t get them. And Trump made Israel promise Qatar never to do it again, so now Hamas know they’re safe there.