The US Department of Defense has formally accepted a luxurious Qatar’s luxurious Boeing 747-8 to temporarily serve as the new Air Force One for President Donald Trump, one of the largest foreign gifts ever given to the US government.
The measure meets Trump’s desire for a new presidential aircraft after years of delays in the US government’s contract with the giant aerospace for new planes that played this role. However, the present raises ethical and security concerns, with politicians from both parties questioning the president’s decision.
Read more:
“The Secretary of Defense accepted a Qatar Boeing 747 according to all federal rules and regulations,” said Pentagon’s chief spokesman Sean Parnell in a statement. “The Defense Department will work to ensure that the appropriate security measures and the mission’s functional requirements are considered to an aircraft used to transport the president of the United States.”
He referred additional questions to the Air Force, which supervises the presidential aircraft. A second Pentagon spokesman did not answer additional questions about projected costs and the schedule for the conversion of the aircraft, or which role the department would perform in reviewing compliance with applicable laws and regulations. An Air Force spokesman did not immediately respond to a commentary request.
According to the arrangement, the Qatar plane would serve as an intermediary while Boeing completes a new pair of jets for use of the president. Trump said he would no longer use the aircraft after leaving office, and previous reports suggested that the plane could eventually be disabled and displayed in a future presidential library.
Continues after advertising
US government legislators and vigilantes have criticized the plan, saying that he adds another conflict of interest to a president whose official functions have long been mixing with his family’s business in the Middle East.
The value of the plane, which has special chairs, sofas, wooden panels and a master suite, is probably huge.
“I wonder if our ability to judge their human rights history would be overshadowed by the fact that this great gift,” said Republican Senator Rand Paul Fox News. “I wouldn’t accept. This is me.”
Continues after advertising
Others have expressed concerns about technical and security issues around Trump to use a foreign aircraft as a presidential jet, which is usually equipped with sophisticated defense and communication systems.
The White House stated that its lawyers approved the deal and Trump disregarded the democrats who criticized the gift as “losers.” The US president justified the rapid acquisition of a new plane, saying that the current Air Force One is “much smaller” and “much less impressive” than the bright new jets used by the Gulf state leaders.
“We are the United States of America, I believe we should have the plane most impressive,” Trump said in a recent interview with Fox News. “Some people say, ‘Oh, you shouldn’t accept gifts to the country.’ My attitude is: Why would I not accept a gift?
Continues after advertising
© 2025 Bloomberg L.P.
