Trump War Chief Hegseth Pushes Back After MAGA Backlash To Foreign Base

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth faced significant criticism from MAGA supporters after announcing plans for a Qatari air force facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.

“Today, we’re announcing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base,” Hegseth said Friday, seated alongside Qatar’s Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.

Following the announcement, Hegseth issued a clarification on X, emphasizing that the United States retains full control of the base. “The U.S. military has a long-standing partnership with Qatar, including today’s announced cooperation with F-15QA aircraft. However, to be clear, Qatar will not have its own base in the United States—nor anything like a base. We control the existing base, like we do with all partners,” he wrote.

Despite the clarification, MAGA influencer Laura Loomer criticized the plan, calling it “a threat to our national security” due to Qatar’s ties to Hamas and Iran. Loomer wrote, “Never thought I’d see Republicans give terror-financing Muslims from Qatar a military base on U.S. soil so they can murder Americans. I don’t think I’ll be voting in 2026. I cannot in good conscience make any excuses for the harboring of jihadis. This is where I draw the line.”

Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon also voiced opposition, telling Newsweek, “There should never be a military base of a foreign power on the sacred soil of America.”

The Idaho Freedom Foundation, which is aligned with MAGA viewpoints, issued a formal condemnation. “To unilaterally decide that Idaho will host a foreign nation’s Air Force facility, which would house and train foreign nationals whose loyalties don’t align with our national and state interests, is a completely unacceptable overreach,” the group said.

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed an executive order committing the U.S. to defend Qatar in the event of an attack. He also pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to apologize to Qatar for a missile strike that killed a U.S. serviceman. Additionally, the Qatari royal family gifted Trump a $400 million luxury jet for official use, which he said would eventually be donated to his presidential library.

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