The Trump administration plans to accept a Qatari-owned Boeing 747-8 aircraft as a gift to be temporarily used as Air Force One, according to a source briefed on the matter. The move, which would mark one of the most valuable foreign gifts ever received by the US government, has sparked sharp criticism from Democratic leaders and ethics watchdogs.
The aircraft, valued at approximately $400 million, is currently owned by the Qatari royal family. President Donald Trump toured the 12-year-old jet in February during a visit to Palm Beach International Airport near his Mar-a-Lago resort. The aircraft would reportedly be retrofitted for presidential use and eventually transferred to Trump’s presidential library once he leaves office.
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On Sunday, Trump appeared to confirm the news on his Truth Social platform, posting: “So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40-year-old Air Force One… so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane.”
The news was first reported by ABC News. A spokesperson for Qatar, Ali Al-Ansari, told The New York Times that no final decision has been made regarding the transfer of the aircraft.
The proposal has drawn backlash from Democratic lawmakers and ethics groups, who argue the gift could violate the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, which prohibits US officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval.