Former White House strategist Steve Bannon sharply criticized the Trump administration’s recent decision to allow Qatar to build a military facility on U.S. soil, calling the move “screwed up” during an interview on Sunday.
Bannon made the remarks on his War Room podcast while appearing on Eric Bolling’s show, Bolling! on Real America’s Voice, a network aligned with the MAGA movement. The discussion took place just a day after officials confirmed that Qatar would construct an airbase at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.
“I have no idea what’s going on, and I’m sure we’ll find out more,” Bannon told Bolling. “With the Article 5 protection he gave to Qatar, and I throw it back to this is part of the price we’re paying for the uh Israel First crowd…and others that had support for [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu.” He added bluntly, “This whole thing is so screwed up.”
According to a report from CNN, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Saturday that Qatar would build an Air Force facility in Idaho to house Qatari F-15 fighter jets and pilots who will train alongside U.S. troops. The development marks the first time the Middle Eastern nation has been allowed to establish a military presence within the United States.
Bannon speculated that the decision may have been part of a broader diplomatic effort linked to Middle East peace negotiations. He suggested the base could be “the price Trump had to pay” to secure a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
“I think Qatar and the Article 5 protection and maybe even this base, is part of it, what they had to do to bring them along,” Bannon said. “That shows you the price we’re paying for this blind following of the Israel First crowd.”
The remarks reflect ongoing tension within conservative circles about the U.S. relationship with Qatar. During his first term, Trump publicly accused Qatar of funding Hamas, calling it one of the world’s leading state sponsors of terrorism, before later softening his tone as diplomatic ties improved.
While the Trump administration has framed the new military partnership as a strategic move to strengthen defense cooperation, critics like Bannon argue that it raises serious concerns about foreign influence and U.S. national security.
As construction plans for the Qatari airbase move forward, political observers say the decision could become a fresh point of contention within Trump’s own base—especially among those wary of deepening foreign military partnerships on American soil.