(MENAFN- Live Mint) When U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday that the federal government had reached an agreement with Qatar to construct a facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho , backlash quickly surfaced on social media.

Critics expressed alarm at what they believed to be the establishment of a foreign military base on U.S. soil.

However, the planned facility is not a separate base. It will consist of buildings designed to support training and maintenance operations for Qatari military personnel.

Hegseth clarified on X,“The U.S. military has a long-standing partnership w/ Qatar, including today's announced cooperation w/ F-15QA aircraft. 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.”

Defence officials also noted that the agreement has been in development for several years as part of broader U.S.-Qatar defence cooperation.“What we expect is it to be squadron operations and hangars for the F-15QA, because that's the Qatari version of the jet that they bought through foreign military sales,” Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek said.“It is definitely still a U.S. Air Force base.”

Where is the Mountain Home Air Force Base?

Mountain Home Air Force Base, located approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Boise, Idaho's capital and largest city, sits on a high desert plateau nestled between two mountain ranges. The remote location offers wide-open airspace, making it an ideal setting for fighter pilot training exercises.

The base lies just outside the town of Mountain Home, home to about 17,000 residents.

According to Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek, the new facilities will be constructed by local crews, with local workers likely to be hired to support the training operations. The project will be fully funded by the Qatari government, covering both construction and associated operational expenses, AP reported.

Security at the base will continue to be handled by U.S. Air Force personnel, she said, and anyone going to the base will still have to show the proper credentials in order to enter.

What is the mission of the base?

The base - nicknamed the“gunfighter” base - houses the 366th Fighter Wing and more than 50 F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft. It aims to“provide mission-ready Gunfighters to conduct military operations anytime, anywhere,” according to its website.

Three fighter squadrons are located there: The 389th Fighter Squadron Thunderbolts, the 391st Fighter Squadron Tigers, and the Singaporean 428th Fighter Squadron Buccaneers. An Air Control squadron and Air National Guard squadron are also housed at the base.

All told, the fighter wing includes about 5,100 military and civilian members, as well as 3,500 family members, according to the website.

When was the Qatar agreement conceived?

Qatar decided to buy the F-15QA aircraft from a U.S. government program called Foreign Military Sales in 2017, and discussions to train Qatari troops in the use of the jets began shortly thereafter, Stefanek said, as reported by AP.

Also Read: Boeing 747-8: Qatar's $400 million 'gift' to Donald Trump - from speed to range, here's what you need to know

Work got started on an environmental assessment to determine the possible impact on the area surrounding the Mountain Home Air Force Base began around 2020, and the assessment was completed in 2022.

MAGA supporter Laura Loomer criticises plan

Right-wing influencer Laura Loomer - a close Trump ally - called the plan“an abomination .”

“No foreign country should have a military base on US soil. Especially Islamic countries,” Loomer wrote in a social media post after Hegseth's announcement.

Also Read: Pakistan chokes internet in Islamabad after Kabul attack. What's brewing? | Explained

Similar training agreements have faced criticism in the past.

The announcement of a new Qatari-funded training facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base has stirred debate, with some critics referencing past concerns about foreign military personnel training on US soil.

Past records

In 2019, a Saudi Air Force officer training at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida killed three US service members and wounded several others in a mass shooting. After an investigation, the US expelled 21 Saudi military students for allegedly expressing jihadist or anti-American sentiments online or having ties to child pornography.

Also Read: Qatar's luxury jet gift to Trump to serve as Air Force One: 'Largest bribe in American history'

Others suggested the training facility was prompted by Qatar's gift to Trump of a $400 million jumbo jet to use as Air Force One. However, the possibility of a training agreement predated the gift.

How does hosting foreign troops benefit the US?

Qatar will not have their own base in the United States-nor anything like a base.

The U.S. sells defence equipment and services to other countries as a foreign policy tool. A federal law called the Arms Export Control Act details when those sales can take place. But generally speaking, it is when the president determines that doing so will boost the security of the U.S. or promote peace around the world.

Also Read: UPI expands to Lulu Group stores in Qatar after launch at Hamad International Airport. Details her

MENAFN11102025007365015876ID1110180765