The Trump administration has agreed to build a Qatari air force facility on U.S. soil, prompting claims of corruption and fears of national security risks.
Months after Donald Trump accepted A Boeing 747 from the authoritarian regime and inked a deal to build a luxury golf course in Qatar, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has announced that a Qatari Emery Air Force facility will be built in Idaho.
“Today, we’re announcing a letter of acceptance in building a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho,” Hegseth said on Friday, as Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani at the Pentagon.
“The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase, lethality, interoperability. It’s just another example of our partnership, and I hope you know, your Excellency, that you can count on us.”
The move sent shockwaves across political circles, given the U.S. almost never permits foreign governments to have military facilities on its territory.
Some fear that hosting a foreign military installation could also create intelligence and counterintelligence risks, as Qatar maintains close ties with countries like Iran and Turkey.
The corruption is so blatant. https://t.co/521lnoKD8H
— Jessica Tarlov (@JessicaTarlov) October 10, 2025
“In 2017, Trump accused Qatar of being “funders of terrorism” and now the US is going to host a Qatari military base on US soil???” former Obama aide Tommy Vietor wrote on X.
Military veteran and investment banker Evaristus Odinikaeze agreed, accusing Trump of selling America “piece by piece” like it was his real estate.
“Why is a foreign military, from an autocratic regime, being granted a foothold on U.S. soil?” he asked.
“This deal isn’t about patriotism. It’s about power deals and quiet compromises that bypass the people.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to the Pentagon for more information about the air force facility, which will be located about 50 miles from the capital of Boise.
But it is not the only dubious arrangement the Trump administration has made with Qatar.
Earlier this year, Trump came under fire for accepting a Qatari plane, in what is believed to be one of the biggest foreign gifts ever received by the U.S. government.
The move was controversial because the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause forbids public office holders from accepting a present “of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.”
In May, the Trump family company also struck a deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar, prompting further questions about U.S. public policy being shaped for personal financial gain.
The project, which features Trump-branded beachside villas and an 18-hole golf course to be built by a Saudi Arabian company, was the first foreign deal by the Trump Organization since Trump took office.
“The corruption is so blatant,” wrote Democrat Jessica Tarlov, a Fox co-host of The Five.
However, Hegseth argued that the project reflected the depth of the U.S.-Qatari defense partnership.
“You have been a core part of what has unfolded in Gaza, a historic moment,” he told Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister at the Pentagon.
“We’re grateful for the strong partnership that we have, the way you support our troops at Al Udeid, Your Excellency, the line of communication we’ve had together.”
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