An F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft assigned to the 366th Fighter Wing sits on the flightline at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho on March 5, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Senior Airman Trevor Bell/U.S. Air Force)

Saying they were given no advance notice of the announcement, Idaho’s governor and members of Congress have requested a briefing from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth regarding his recent announcement about training Qatari Air Force personnel at Idaho’s Mountain Home Air Force Base.

In televised remarks made Oct. 10, Hegseth said, “Today we are announcing that we are signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emiri Air Force Facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho.”

Later that same day, Hegseth posted on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, a clarification writing, “Qatar will not have their own base in the United States – nor anything like a base.”

Records show Idaho Gov. Little, Sen. Risch weren’t aware Qatar facility announcement was coming

Records obtained under the Idaho Public Records Act by the Idaho Capital Sun show that several elected state and federal leaders in Idaho, including Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, who serves as chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Gov. Brad Little were caught completely off guard by Hegseth’s announcement and had no idea it was coming. 

Then on Thursday, Risch, U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson and Little, all R-Idaho, wrote a joint letter to Hegseth asking for a briefing on the announcement and answers to several questions. 

“Like many foreign military sale agreements to allies, the plans to sell F-15QAs to Qatar have been in the process for years,” Crapo, Little, Risch and Simpson wrote in the letter. “However, we were given no advance notice that this agreement had been finalized or that it was going to be formally announced. While Qatar, as a long-time U.S. ally, provides substantial support to the U.S. military in the Middle East, such as allowing a U.S. base hosting thousands of U.S.-ready-to-fight-warriors, it is understandable that Qatar’s history of funding Iran-backed terrorist groups like Hamas and the extremism espoused by Qatari-based Al Jazeera has raised concerns among Idahoans.”

Idaho elected officials raise several questions in letter to Hegseth

The Idaho Republican leaders identified several questions for Hegseth about cost and security concerns, including:

• Given the technological capabilities of the Mountain Home AFB range complex, what measures will be implemented to safeguard against any compromise to our national security?
• What screening, intelligence, or vetting processes are in place to ensure no trainees have ties to hostile or extremist organizations?
• Are there any specific security concerns for the surrounding communities and for U.S. military personnel stationed at Mountain Home AFB?
• Is there a long-term plan to convert Mountain Home AFB into a multi-national training facility for foreign allies?
• How many Qatari personnel will be involved in the training mission?
• How long will they be deployed to Idaho?
• Will families be allowed to accompany Qatari personnel, and what restrictions, if any, will be placed on their travel?
• Is there a cost to American taxpayers to house, train, and feed the foreign military personnel covered by this agreement?

“In the interest of informing our constituents, maintaining open lines of communication, and fostering closer federal and state collaboration regarding this training squadron, we would like the department to provide more information about the plans and intentions of this mission now that it appears to be finalized,” Crapo, Little, Risch and Simpson wrote to Hegseth. “We request that you provide a briefing to the Idaho Congressional Delegation, as well as for the governor of Idaho and state legislators potentially impacted by the agreement, in Boise on the details of this agreement.”

Idaho’s fourth member of Congress, U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, did not sign the letter to Hegseth, but also requested a briefing on the announcement. In a letter to a group of Idaho legislators who call themselves the Gang of Eight, Fulcher wrote that he also requested a briefing from Hegseth, and that Hegseth’s office promised a response. 

“Since the Oct. 10 announcement by Sec. Hegseth, I have been in touch with various federal sources to learn as much detail as possible,” Fulcher wrote in the letter to Idaho legislators. “In addition, I have reached out directly to (Hegseth), expressing my disappointment with the lack of communication and to request a briefing. The secretary’s office has acknowledged receipt and pledged a response.”

Risch issued a press release announcing the joint letter to Hegseth and released the text of their letter to Hegseth. 

Trump has announced that he is changing the title of the Department of Defense to the Department of War and changing Hegseth’s title to Secretary of War, but the name change requires Congressional approval to become permanent. 

Hegseth worked as a host on Fox News prior to being appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as secretary of defense.

Relatives and friends of hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal embrace as they learn the news of his release on Oct. 13, 2025, in Ra'anana, Israel. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has brought an end to the two years of war that followed the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. A condition of the deal was the immediate return of hostages held in Gaza. (Photo by Dima Vazinovich/Getty Images) 

WASHINGTON — After just over two years in Hamas captivity, the surviving Israeli hostages were released Monday as President Donald Trump visited Israel and Egypt to celebrate a U.S.-brokered peace deal to end the war in Gaza.

In remarks to Israel’s Knesset, the country’s parliamentary body, Monday afternoon Jerusalem time, Trump hailed “the golden age of Israel and the golden age of the Middle East.”

“Israel, with our help, has won all that they can by force of arms. You’ve won. I mean, you’ve won. Now it’s time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East. It’s about time you were able to enjoy the fruits of your labor,” Trump said during remarks that lasted just over an hour.

Israeli military forces, with financial and arms support from the United States, have bombarded the Gaza Strip since Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel from the Palestinian territory on Oct. 7, 2023, killing roughly 1,200 and taking 250 people captive. 

Gaza health officials said Monday the death toll in the small enclave had risen to 67,869 since the conflict began, including roughly 60 in the past 24 hours, according to Palestinian National Authority state-run media.

Hamas returned the remaining living 20 Israeli hostages Monday and committed to returning bodies of deceased hostages as part of the ceasefire agreement. In exchange, Israel released roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

As of Monday, Hamas still had to return the remains of two dozen hostages killed while held captive. The militant group that holds political power in Gaza returned the remains of four hostages to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv, CNN reported Monday.

Trump calls for Netanyahu pardon

Many who attended Trump’s Knesset remarks wore red MAGA-style hats bearing the message “Trump the Peace President,” according to journalists who traveled with Trump to Israel.

Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be remembered “far more” for the peace deal than for the fighting. 

Trump notably asked Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Netanyahu, who is under investigation for bribery and fraud.

“Hey, I have an idea. Mr. President, why don’t you give him a pardon?” Trump said, adding, “Cigars and some champagne — who the hell cares?”

Egypt meeting

Trump then traveled to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Monday evening, where roughly 30 world leaders met for a short summit marking the deal between Israel and Hamas — with many details yet to be hammered out.

Among those present was Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian National Authority. Video published by The New York Times showed Trump and Abbas chatting and shaking hands. Trump held onto Abbas’ hand while giving a thumbs-up with his other hand for a photo of the pair.

Trump invited Netanyahu, but the prime minister declined “due to time constraints” ahead of an upcoming holiday, according to an announcement posted by his office.

Trump, along with the leaders of Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, signed what the president described as a “document that’s going to spell out a lot of rules and regulations.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for text of the document.

Speaking to reporters as he signed the “historic document” in front of two rows of presidents and prime ministers, Trump marveled at how long it took to achieve the cessation of hostilities and predicted “it’s gonna hold up, too.”

The 20-point peace plan required the release of all living and deceased Israeli hostages, a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces and a reform of the Palestinian government, including completely disarming Hamas of weapons and political power. 

World leaders heaped praise on Trump at Monday’s summit. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the U.S. president is “a man of peace” and that he backed Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, according to video and reports from journalists at the summit. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi awarded Trump the Nile Collar, his country’s highest state honor.

U.S. leaders react

U.S. Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike praised the freeing of the surviving Israeli hostages.

House Speaker Mike Johnson applauded the “leadership, strength, and fortitude of President Trump.”

“For the first time in 738 days, there are no living Israelis hostages (sic) in the hands of Hamas. In just eight and half months in office, President Trump and his Administration have ensured the safe release and return of all 20 living Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity, putting lasting peace in the Middle East within reach,” the Louisiana Republican said in a statement Monday.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who delivered a scathing rebuke on the Senate floor to Netanyahu’s leadership last year, celebrated the ceasefire deal Monday.

“Today is a wonderful day. Finally, finally, finally, the last living hostages brutally held by Hamas are home, an immense and overwhelming sigh of relief. I commend the enormous advocacy of the tireless hostage families, President Trump, his administration, and all who helped make this moment happen,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said in a statement.

“Today, we celebrate the return of the hostages — the joyous images of their reuniting with their families — and we solemnly reaffirm our commitment to bringing home all the deceased hostages, including my constituents Omer Neutra and Itay Chen.”

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, an outspoken critic of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, urged the immediate activation of humanitarian aid to the territory, including granting “unfettered access” to the United Nations.

The Vermont senator, who caucuses with Democrats, said in a statement that Americans must “grapple with our role in this extremely dark chapter,” highlighting that the U.S. government provided billions in taxpayer dollars to support what he described as “Netanyahu’s barbaric campaign.”

“The vast majority of Americans understand that Israel had a right to defend itself against the horrific Hamas terrorist attack that killed 1,200 innocent people and took 250 hostages,” Sanders said. “But most Americans also understand that Israel did not have the right to go to war against the entire Palestinian people, killing or wounding almost 237,000 Palestinians — more than 10 percent of Gaza’s population — most of them women, children, and the elderly.”