Far-right influencer and informal Trump adviser Laura Loomer launched a scathing attack on the Trump administration Friday, October 10, 2025, after the Defense Department announced that Qatar would be granted an air force base in Idaho. The decision has created a rare public rift between Trump and one of his most ardent supporters, with Loomer threatening to boycott future elections over what she characterized as a betrayal of conservative principles.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the forthcoming Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base, where Qatari F-15 fighter jets and pilots will train alongside American troops. The move drew immediate criticism from conservatives who viewed it as contradictory to Trump’s “America First” agenda.
Loomer expressed her outrage on social media platform X, asking sarcastically whether the call to prayer would be broadcast in Idaho five times daily. She further questioned whether American taxpayers would fund Arabic lessons or if the Emir of Qatar would cover those costs, adding inflammatory commentary about Islamic practices.
The 32-year-old self-described Islamophobe has long served as one of Trump’s most vocal defenders, but the Qatar decision appears to have crossed a line for her. Loomer indicated that if the GOP continues what she termed “Islamifying” the country and allowing funders of Islamic terrorism from Qatar to establish military bases on American soil, she would not vote in 2026 and could not encourage others to do so either.
Her criticism centers on Qatar’s documented financial support for Hamas, according to multiple sources. Trump himself acknowledged this connection during his first term in 2017, when he stated that Qatar funds Islamic terrorism, though his administration’s current stance suggests a significant shift in that position.
The timing of the Qatar decision has raised questions about potential quid pro quo arrangements. In May 2025, Qatar gifted Trump a Boeing 747, and the previous month, the Trump Organization purchased a golf course in Qatar. These transactions preceded Trump signing an executive order pledging to provide Qatar with protection levels typically reserved for America’s most powerful allies.
Speaking to Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani at the Pentagon Friday, Hegseth thanked the Middle Eastern nation for playing a core part in negotiating the ceasefire between Israel and Palestine. He characterized the air force base arrangement as another example of the partnership between the two countries.
Other conservative voices echoed Loomer’s bewilderment. National Review’s Noah Rothman questioned the strategic rationale behind the decision, noting the obvious problems and risks while struggling to identify any compelling case in favor of the arrangement. GOP consultant Mike Madrid drew comparisons to previous controversies, pointing out that Joe Biden faced criticism for a Chinese balloon flying over American airspace while the current administration was granting Qatar an entire air force base.
Some defense officials pushed back against the criticism. Dan Caldwell, who was previously removed from the Department of Defense during what sources called Hegseth’s Signalgate disaster, argued that the outrage was unwarranted since similar arrangements exist with other countries. Singapore operates a comparable facility and detachment for its F-15 training unit at the same airbase in Idaho.
Loomer represents the second prominent MAGA figure to break with Trump and Republicans in recent days. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has similarly distanced herself from party leadership over issues including the government shutdown and the potential release of Jeffrey Epstein files, though Greene has not yet commented on the Qatar air force base decision.
The controversy highlights broader tensions within Trump’s coalition about foreign policy and immigration. Loomer has positioned herself as a loyalty enforcer within the MAGA movement, previously taking credit for policy changes including the State Department’s decision to halt visitor visas for individuals from Gaza.
Trump has maintained that Loomer is simply a supporter who speaks positively about his campaign, though White House officials have reportedly grown frustrated with her influence. Multiple sources describe her as having significant informal power despite lacking any official government position.
The dispute over Qatar represents a significant test for Trump’s ability to maintain unity within his base while pursuing what his administration characterizes as strategic partnerships with Middle Eastern allies. For Loomer, whose estimated net worth ranges between $10 million and $11 million according to various sources, the Qatar decision appears to represent a fundamental violation of the America First principles that initially drew her to Trump’s movement.
Sources:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-biggest-ally-laura-loomer-turns-on-him-over-shocking-move/
https://newrepublic.com/post/201647/maga-donald-trump-qatar-military-air-force-base
https://www.thefp.com/p/white-house-officials-have-had-it-with-laura-loomer-politics-dc
