“No Qatari Base on US Soil”: Hegseth Issues Clarification After Training Pact with Qatar Sparks MAGA Backlash

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday that a formal agreement has been reached to host a Qatari Air Force training facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. The announcement, made alongside Qatari Defence Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Pentagon, was met with significant criticism, particularly from supporters of former President Trump.

Secretary Hegseth stated that the facility would allow Qatari pilots to train alongside U.S. personnel, enhancing joint operational skills and cooperation. While the U.S. does not host foreign sovereign bases, it does permit allied nations, such as Singapore, to maintain training operations on American soil. Hegseth expressed pride in the partnership, noting it would accommodate Qatar’s F-15QA jets and improve combined combat effectiveness.

Clarification Amid Backlash

In response to the controversy, Hegseth issued a clarification on Saturday, explicitly stating that Qatar would not have an independent base. He emphasized that the United States retains full command and control of the Idaho base, as is standard with all partner nation agreements.

“The U.S. military has a long-standing partnership with Qatar,” Hegseth said in a statement. “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.”

This reassurance did not quell the criticism from some quarters. Laura Loomer, a prominent Trump supporter, voiced strong opposition, calling the agreement a “national security threat” and stating, “Nobody wants the funders of HAMAS in America being trained to fly fighter jets on US soil.”