Left: FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One for travel back to Washington, D.C., at Palm Beach International Airport, in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. May 4, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo. Right: Eric Trump, Executive Vice President of the Trump Organization and son of U.S. President Donald Trump looks at the 3D model of Trump International Golf Club & Trump Villas project with Qatari Minister of Municipality & Chairman of Qatar Diar Abdullah Al Attiya, launched between Qatar Diar and DarGlobal in Doha, Qatar, April 30, 2025. REUTERS/Bassam Masoud

Saying Qatar has played a "core part" in securing the impending Gaza peace deal, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Friday morning the creation of a new Qatari airforce facility in Idaho, according to Fox News.

"Today, we’re announcing a letter of acceptance in building a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho," Hegseth said.

That facility, Fox says, "will train Qatari pilots how to fly F-15 fighter jets."

Qatar has provided significant funding to U.S-designated terror organization Hamas for years, a relationship that has become increasingly controversial following the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

Concerns have emerged about potential conflicts of interest after Qatar gifted a luxury Boeing 747 jet to the U.S., which President Donald Trump has accepted for use as Air Force One.

Critics allege that Qatar's actions are an effort to influence Trump and launder its reputation while the country funds Hamas.

Critics and experts on social media scorned the announcement immediately.

Geopolitics analyst Dean Elmas wrote on X, "Is it another 'peace' dividend for Qatar from Gaza? The Secretary of War [Pete Hegseth] announced today about the acceptance to build a Qatari [Air Force] facility at the Mountain Home Airbase in Idaho."

"A Qatari Air Force facility in Idaho. Nothing screams America First quite like this move here," wrote X user Bodega Boy.

"American survival is now dependent on Middle Eastern Petro Dollars It's not exactly America First... Who'd have thought it The U.S. signed a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emeri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Airbase in Idaho," wrote X user Khalissee.

WesleyKY wrote on X, "So, the sponsors of Hamas are getting a military base in the U.S.?"

X user Valentina Gomez wrote, "We shouldn’t have any foreign military bases on U.S. soil."

Not everyone was critical. Hamad AlMuftah, deputy chief of mission at the Qatar U.S. embassy wrote on X, "Incredibly proud of this milestone in the Qatar-U.S. defense relationship. This beddown in the great State of Idaho will further enhance our defense relationship and foster job creation. More to come…"