Laura Loomer
Although she did accompany Trump on his 9/11 visit, in the past, Loomer has occasionally suggested that the terrorist attacks were an 'inside job.' Laura Loomer's X formerly Twitter

Far-right activist and Donald Trump supporter Laura Loomer has criticised a newly announced US–Qatar defence agreement that will see Qatari pilots train at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.

Loomer accused Republicans of giving 'terror-financing Muslims from Qatar a base on US soil' — a claim that the Pentagon has strongly rejected.

Joint training facility, not a 'Qatari base'

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed on Friday, 10 October, that Washington had signed a letter of acceptance with Doha to construct a joint training facility for Qatar Emiri Air Force (F-15QA) pilots and crews.

The facility will be built at Mountain Home Air Force Base, roughly 100 kilometres southeast of Boise, and will host Qatari and American airmen training side-by-side.

Hegseth made the announcement at the Pentagon after meeting with Qatar's Defence Minister Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, describing the project as a way to 'improve interoperability, readiness, and lethality'.

He praised Doha's role in mediating peace efforts in the Middle East, including talks between Israel and Hamas, and said the partnership 'reinforces decades of security cooperation'.

According to the Pentagon, Qatar will not operate an independent base in the United States. Construction will be handled by local US contractors under US military supervision, and the facility will remain under full American control.

A senior defence official told Reuters that the plan had been in motion for years and that 'we host similar training programmes for many partners around the world'.

Background: Project years in the making

The Idaho project traces its roots to 2022, when the US Air Force published an environmental assessment for the 'bed-down' of a Qatar Emiri Air Force F-15QA squadron at Mountain Home.

The study evaluated potential impacts of building hangars, operations centres, and housing for around 300 Qatari personnel, funded through Qatar's F-15 procurement programme, worth about $12 billion.

Similar US-based training partnerships already exist with Singapore, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, allowing allied pilots to train in American airspace and integrate with US operations.

Loomer's claims and online backlash

Loomer took to X (formerly Twitter) to attack the decision, posting:

'Never thought I'd see Republicans give terror-financing Muslims from Qatar a military base on US soil so they can murder Americans.'

Her comments quickly went viral among right-wing circles but were debunked by defence officials, who clarified that Qatar will not own or control any portion of the base.
A Pentagon spokesperson called Loomer's characterisation 'categorically false'.

The activist also resurfaced a 2017 video of Donald Trump accusing Qatar of supporting terrorism, arguing that the new deal contradicts that stance.

Qatar, for its part, has repeatedly denied funding extremist groups, saying it works closely with Washington on counter-terrorism and regional stability.

Strategic context

The US–Qatar partnership extends beyond training. Qatar already hosts Al-Udeid Air Base, the largest American military installation in the Middle East, and has helped mediate multiple Israel–Hamas ceasefire and hostage-exchange negotiations.

Officials say the Idaho training programme underscores the depth of US–Qatari defence ties and supports broader efforts to align Gulf militaries with NATO-standard operations.

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