Far-right activist Laura Loomer criticized the Trump administration on Friday over its growing defense partnership with Qatar, falsely alleging that the U.S. was giving Qatar a military base on American soil. Her claims circulated widely on social media following the official announcement from the Pentagon.
Earlier that day, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani to confirm Qatar’s plan to fund a new facility at Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho. The facility, long under discussion, will support training for Qatari pilots flying 12 F-15 fighter jets purchased from the U.S. A U.S. official clarified that the project would include hangars and operations buildings, all constructed by American contractors under U.S. military supervision.
Hegseth emphasized that Qatar would not own the base, noting, “We control the existing base, like we do with all partners.” The facility mirrors similar agreements with allies such as Singapore, whose pilots already train at the same base. Qatar’s embassy confirmed this, stating the project reflects a 10-year commitment to enhance defense cooperation and interoperability with the U.S.
Despite the clarification, Loomer—known for spreading conspiracy theories and anti-Muslim rhetoric—accused the administration of “giving terror-financing Muslims from Qatar a MILITARY BASE on U.S. soil.” She shared an old video of Trump accusing Qatar of supporting terrorism, further fueling outrage among her followers.
Loomer, a self-proclaimed “Islamophobe” with 1.8 million followers on X, has a long history of inflammatory stunts, including handcuffing herself to Twitter’s headquarters after being banned for hate speech. Her remarks highlight the growing tension between far-right influencers and the Trump administration’s evolving foreign policy, particularly as Qatar remains a key U.S. ally hosting the al-Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East.