Pete Hegseth stated that construction aims to improve joint training between the 2 countries
The American Secretary of Defense announced on Friday (October 10, 2025) that the United States and Qatar signed an agreement to build a Qatar Air Force facility within a North American military base in the State of Idaho.
Hegseth made the announcement during a meeting with Qatar’s defense minister in Washington.
The , located in the western US, will receive a contingent of F-15 fighter planes and pilots from Qatar as part of the military cooperation agreement between the 2 countries.
The pact was established in a context in which Qatar acts as a mediator in ceasefire negotiations in Gaza. The 1st phase of the agreement between Israel and Hamas on Friday (10.Oct.2025), with direct participation of Qatari diplomacy.
“No one other than the president [Donald] Trump could have achieved what we believe will be a lasting peace in Gaza, and Qatar played a substantial role from the beginning.”said Hegseth, quoted by .
Minister Sheikh Saoud praised the cooperation between Washington and Doha in achieving the ceasefire, which aims to end Israel’s ceasefire in Gaza. In total, at least 67,190 Palestinians were killed.
According to Saoud, the agreement demonstrated what can be achieved when the US works with regional partners, including Egypt and Türkiye, with “courage and confidence”.
Hegseth said the installation at the Mountain Home base will allow “enhance our joint training and increase interoperability” between the forces of the 2 countries.
Ali al-Ansari, Qatar’s media attaché in the US, said the facility “it will not be a Qatari air base”. He added that “Qatar has made an initial 10-year commitment to build and maintain a dedicated facility within an existing US air base” to offer “advanced training and enhance interoperability in defending and advancing our shared interests around the world”he said in a statement.
In X, Hegseth also states that control of the base will be North American. “Important clarification: The United States Military has a long-standing partnership with Qatar, including the cooperation announced today involving F-15QA aircraft. However, to be clear, Qatar will not have its own base in the United States – or anything resembling a base. We control the existing base, as we do with all partners.”he wrote.
The agreement is similar to others that Washington has with international partners. Several European countries, in addition to Singapore, Türkiye and the (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), have similar facilities on American territory.
After attacks suffered by Qatar, President Trump signed a declaration declaring that Washington “will consider any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar to be a threat to the peace and security of the United States”.
