Washington DC - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced that he will soon approve the establishment of a Qatari Air Force facility in Idaho.

During a press conference at the Pentagon on Friday, Hegseth, who was joined by Qatari defense minister Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, announced "a letter of acceptance in building a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Air Force Base."

The secretary explained the new base would house Qatari F-15 fighter jets and pilots for joint training with US troops, which will "increase lethality, interoperability."

He also said the facility will reflect the depth of the defense partnership between the two countries, and thanked Qatar for its help with recent diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.

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"You have been a core part of what has unfolded in Gaza, a historic moment," Hegseth told the minister.

"We're grateful for the strong partnership that we have, the way you support our troops at Al Udeid, Your Excellency, the line of communication we've had together."

According to CBS News, there has never been a foreign military base in the US, though some foreign militaries do maintain a presence for training. Mountain Home Air Force Base also hosts the Singaporean Air Force.

The deal comes as President Donald Trump has made growing relations with Qatar a major focus of his second term.

Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order to increase the US protection of Qatar following an Israeli strike that killed a Qatari security officer.

Earlier this year, Trump accepted a luxury plane from the Qatari Royal Family, raising concerns from critics that he violated corruption and ethical standards.