In a shocking announcement today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed that the United States will host a new Qatari Air Force contingent at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, where Qatari pilots will train to fly F-15 fighter jets. The decision, signed off by the Trump administration, marks a deepening of U.S. military cooperation with the Gulf nation, even as Qatar’s financial ties to Donald Trump’s personal and business interests draw mounting scrutiny.
“The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality, [and] interoperability,” Hegseth said Friday. “It’s just another example of our partnership.”
The Pentagon described the deal as routine, noting that U.S. bases have long hosted foreign training detachments, incl