Trump praises crowd of cheering soldiers at biggest US military base in the Middle East, vows ‘substantial pay raises’

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — President Trump visited the largest US military base in the Middle East on Thursday, honoring the troops that are stationed in Qatar and praising the investments pouring in from the Arab country to buy American-made equipment.

“Yesterday we signed an agreement for Qatar to purchase $42 billion worth of the finest American military hardware,” Trump said, listing off the state-of-the-art equipment, including Pegasus refueling aircraft, amphibious combat vehicles, the MQ-9B plane — and more.

“I don’t think our friendship has ever been stronger than it is right now,” he said of US-Qatar relations.

Trump has emphasized the need for Qatar security on his jaunt to the Middle East, saying “nobody’s going to break” his relationship with Emir Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani — and that the US “will protect” the petroleum-rich country.

“We’ve never, we have never had a relationship with Qatar as strong as it is now. You know that they’re very happy, and we’re going to protect you. We’re going to protect you. That’s the one thing you need, maybe, but I don’t think you’re going to need too much of that,” Trump said at a business roundtable Thursday morning.

Later on Air Force One flying to the UAE, he said Arabs were “starving for love” that the Biden administration didn’t provide them — noting the fist bump former President Biden gave Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia.

“They felt abandoned and they were going to be captured by China,” he said of the Arab countries.

At that roundtable, Trump touted plans for advanced US war planes — including the Boeing F-47 announced in March as an update on the F-22 and named in honor of both the incumbent 47th president and the founding year of the Air Force.

Trump, sitting next to Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, said that he also has plans for a not previously announced Boeing F-55 fighter jet, which would be an update on the F-35.

“We’re going to do an F-55 and I think if we get the right price, we have to get the right price, and that’ll be two engines and a super upgrade on the F-35,” Trump said.

“I think the most beautiful fighter jet in the world is the F-22 but we’re going to do an F-22 super and it will be a very modern version of the F-22 fighter jet.”

It’s unclear what capabilities the F-55 would have. The already announced F-47 will work in conjunction with drones, according to the plans.

“It travels with many, many — potentially hundreds of drones, right?” Trump asked Ortberg. “You want to talk about that? Because it’s very interesting.”

Ortberg — whose company Trump has slammed repeatedly for delays on building a new Air Force One — demurred, saying, “there is not much I can say about that for security reasons.”

The Boeing chief executive did not mention Trump’s proposed F-55, which he mentioned again later in the day in his speech to troops.

“Our Air Force will soon have the world’s first and only sixth-generation fighter jet, the F-47. Why did they name it 47? Does anybody know? I don’t know. It was a nice thing,” Trump beamed.

“But it’s quite the plane… But we’re also looking at an increased version of the F-35. I think we’re gonna call it the F-55, which will be a double-engine plane. I like two engines on a plane. I’m sorry if I say that.”

Trump also proclaimed American dominance in submarines, saying that the latest American models can stay submerged for 30 years — with the exception of retrieving food.

At the airbase, the president walked out to the tune of his signature “God Bless the USA” rally song and spoke to the troops about the American military comeback seen through climbing recruitment numbers — and the budget he proposed that would give the service members a substantial raise.

“You’re a very special group of people,” Trump told the soldiers. “Pay raises to each and every one of you, substantial pay raises.”

The promise produced a loud cheer in the Al Udeid Air Base, as Trump floated that they could turn down the raises if they wanted to, but that they would be there.

“My trip is four and a half days, but this is the one I was so looking forward to, because I’m with the people that I really love and respect,” Trump said.

“We love and respect you. This is what you’re doing, the service you do for your country, for you, keep us safe.”

The president specifically praised those soldiers who have to live at bases without their spouses, and gave a special shoutout to a soldier stationed in Qatar from Butler, Pa. — the same city Trump was nearly assassinated in this summer.

“We have a great country. We have a proud country. We have a country that’s respected all over the world. And as I said before a year ago, we were laughed at, but nobody’s laughing at our country in our country anymore.

“We’re the most respected country anywhere in the world, and thank you very much, and enjoy your lives, and God bless America.”