The US military is moving forward with plans to build a dedicated facility in the state of Idaho to train pilots from Qatar.
US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, made the announcement during a visit by Qatar's defence minister this week.
While the arrangement is not unusual, it has sparked fierce backlash from across the political spectrum in the US.
Here's what to know about the deal and why many are upset.
What does the deal involve?
The agreement has been in the works for years.
It will see a facility built at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho to handle training and maintenance for Qatari troops.
"What we expect is it to be squadron operations and hangars for the F-15QA, because that's the Qatari version of the jet that they bought through foreign military sales," Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek said.
The facility will not amount to Qatar having its own base in the US, and all control will remain in the US military's control.
It will be built by local construction crews, and workers will likely be employed at the base to support the training operations, Ms Stefanek said.
The construction and other associated expenses will be funded by Qatar.
Security at the base will continue to be handled by US Air Force personnel, she said, and anyone going to the base would still have to show the proper credentials in order to enter.
What does the US get out of the agreement?
The US military often works in conjunction with other allied or friendly nations on deployment, so well-trained allies can help keep US troops safe.
"This partnership will provide advanced training opportunities and foster combined operational readiness for our two countries," Ms Stefanek said.
The deal also falls into one of the US' key foreign policy tools — selling defence equipment and services.
Presidents can allow such agreements to go ahead when they will boost the security of the US or promote peace around the world.
Why are people opposed?
There is hesitation around giving a foreign nation a base on US soil.
Laura Loomer, a far-right influencer and close ally of US President Donald Trump, called the plan an "abomination".
"No foreign country should have a military base on US soil. Especially Islamic countries," she wrote in a flurry of social media posts after Mr Hegseth's announcement.
"There isn't a single Trump supporter who supports allowing Qatar to have a military base on US soil."
Steve Bannon, a political strategist who worked for Mr Trump during his first term, echoed Ms Loomer's sentiments in comments to Newsweek.
He said there "should never be a military base of a foreign power on the scared soil of America".
Others have suggested Mr Trump was "bought off" by Qatar.
In May, the president accepted a private jet from Qatar, estimated to be worth more than $US1 billion ($155 billion), and his company struck a deal to build a luxury golf course in the Gulf nation.
"Remember kids, 'America First' means Trump took a $400 million bribe from Qatar — then signed an executive order saying an attack on them is an attack on us, and let them build an Air Force base on American soil," Democratic political strategist Mike Nellis wrote in a social media post.
How common are agreements like this?
Training agreements are not unprecedented for the US.
The Republic of Singapore 428th Fighter Squadron Buccaneers have been hosted at the same base since 2008.
German forces trained at the Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico for decades.
New facilities to train international F-35 fighter pilots were completed at Ebbing Air Force Base in Arkansas last year.
Similarly, the US military has several military installations in foreign nations, including in Australia and Qatar.
Agreements for training on US soil have also received similar criticisms as the deal with Qatar.
In 2019, a Saudi Air Force officer training at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida killed three US service members and wounded several others in a mass shooting.
After investigating, the US sent home 21 Saudi military students after investigators said they had expressed jihadist or anti-American sentiments on social media or had "contact with child pornography" online.
Where is the Mountain Home Air Force Base?
The base is roughly 80 kilometres south-east of Idaho's capital city Boise.
[LINK: Mountain Home Air Base map]It sits on a high desert tundra plateau, tucked between two mountain ranges.
The spot is ideal for fighter pilot training because there is a lot of space around the base to practice manoeuvres.
What does the base do?
Mountain Home Air Force Base is nicknamed the "gunfighter" base.
It houses the 366th Fighter Wing and more than 50 F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft.
According to its website, the base aims to "provide mission-ready Gunfighters to conduct military operations anytime, anywhere".
Three fighter squadrons are located there. And the 389th Fighter Squadron Thunderbolts, the 391st Fighter Squadron Tigers, and the Singaporean 428th Fighter Squadron Buccaneers. An Air Control squadron and Air National Guard squadron are also housed at the base.
All told, the fighter wing includes about 5,100 military and civilian members, as well as 3,500 family members, according to the website.
ABC/AP
