Key Trump ally turns on Pete Hegseth's Qatar-Idaho base plans; ‘Ilhan Omar would…'

Donald Trump faced some MAGA fury after it was announced that the Qatar would be allowed to build a facility at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho

Published on: Oct 11, 2025, 24:00:58 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced some MAGA fury on Friday after it was announced that the Qatari Emiri Air Force would be allowed to build a facility at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. Among the critics was a key Trump ally and conservative commentator, Laura Loomer.

Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attend a cabinet meeting at the White House (REUTERS)

Loomer, who has supported Trump through his first term and 2024 election run, on Friday opposed his administration's latest move.

“The people of IDAHO need to REVOLT against the creation of a Qatari air base in their state. This cannot stand. Every single politician in Idaho needs to be put on notice and told they won’t get your vote unless they condemn the creation of a JIHADI AIR BASE in Idaho. I’d be willing to temporarily move to Idaho to help spearhead this effort,” she posted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

“There isn’t a single Trump supporter who supports allowing Qatar to have a military base on US soil. I don’t know who told President Trump this was a good idea, but it has made people not want to vote. This is the type of thing I would expect from a President Ilhan Omar,” she further added.

The White House is yet to address the criticism.

Meanwhile, Hegseth announced a finalized agreement alongside Qatari Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Pentagon. The facility will allow Qatari pilots to receive training alongside American soldiers.

The Defense Secretary said that he is 'proud that today we're signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emiri Air Force Facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho'.

“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,. And I hope you know, your excellency, that you can count on us,” he added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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