E-Paper
'All for Golf resort and jet..': Trump faces flak for Qatar-Idaho air base plans; MAGA furious
The Donald Trump government announced an agreement had been finalized which would allow the Qatar Air Force to build a facility at Home Air Force Base in Idaho.
President Donald Trump is facing a lot of backlash online after his Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, on Friday, announced that an agreement had been finalized which would allow the the Qatari Emiri Air Force to build a facility at Home Air Force Base in Idaho.
Hegseth said the location “will host a contingent of Qatari F-15's and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality, interoperability, it's just another example of our partnership.” He added, "And I hope you know, your excellency, that you can count on us."
Also Read | Key Trump ally turns on Pete Hegseth's Qatar-Idaho base plans; ‘Ilhan Omar would…'
The decision has not gone down well even among Trump's closest allies. Laura Loomer lamented the move, saying it was something she'd expect out of “President Ilhan Omar”. Others online were less kind.
Donald Trump slammed for Idaho air force base move
Trump was flayed online over the decision to have the Qatari facility at the Idaho base. “Qatar gave trump a luxury jet, they're building a multi-billion dollar trump golf course, several top trump cabinet members, including Pam bondi are ex Qatari lobbyists, and trumps son in law has made billions in business deals with them,” one person said.
Another remarked, “Trump has a big wide blinder when it comes to Qatar. All he sees is the money. It’s one flaw I wish he would overcome.” Yet another person said, “And no way we should be giving Qatar a base. Trump is owned by them.”
Amid the many criticisms, a common thread seemed to be about Trump's golf course and the jet from Qatar. The Trump family company struck a deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar, Associated Press reported in May 2025, adding that with such foreign investments there was “the danger of a president shaping U.S. public policy for personal financial gain”.
Qatar also gave Trump a jet reportedly valued at $400 million, which the President plans to use as Air Force One. Qatar had called it an ‘unconditional gift’.
“In return for a $5.5 billion golf resort deal with Trump and a $400 million jumbo jet, Qatar gets their own air base here. .... Nothing at all suspicious about that,” a person remarked on X.
“Well, it definitely doesn’t have to do with a deal for a golf resort or a jet that they gave “to the United States.” Definitely not related at all,” said another.
Notably, these claims are unverified and the official statement on the agreement with Qatar says that it is an 'example' of their partnership.
