This may be the largest foreign gift ever received by the United States government; The plane should be donated to the current US leader’s presidential library when he leaves office
The Trump government accepted a gift 747 as a gift to be used as the new Air Force One, according to a statement issued by the Pentagon on Wednesday (21). The Defense Department will “work to ensure adequate security measures” in the aircraft to make it safe for use by the president, said Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell. He added that the plane was accepted “according to all federal rules and regulations.”
He defended the gift during his recent trip to the Middle East as a way to save money from the American taxpayer. “Why our army, and therefore our taxpayers, should be forced to pay millions of dollars when they can get a free plane,” Trump asked his profile on the social network social network.
Ethical questions
According to American press reports, this may be the largest foreign gift ever received by the government of. According to the newspaper The New York Timesthe plane will be donated to Trump’s presidential library when he leaves office.
The plan raises substantial ethical questions because of the high value of the luxuriously equipped aircraft and the fact that Trump plans to use it after leaving office. New, a commercial boeing 747-800 costs $ 400 million. The US government argues that it has a precedent involving the plane because former President Ronald Reagan installed Air Force One he used in his White House as part of his library museum, but at the time the Republican did not use the plane to fly on his own.
Security
Trump’s plan has generated concern among members of Congress, who fear that the government presses the Air Force to do the work so quickly that important safety measures are not implemented on the plane, such as the installation of missile defense systems or even systems to protect the plane from the electromagnetic effects from a nuclear explosion. “Any civil aircraft will require significant modifications,” said Troy Meink, the Secretary of the Air Force on Tuesday during a Senate statement.
The Pentagon has not provided an estimate of when the new Air Force One will be ready, but Trump made it clear that he wants to use the new plane soon. “We will do what is necessary to ensure the safety of the aircraft,” said Meink at the Senate audience.
Relationship with Qatar
The gift also increased concerns about the relationship between Qatar and the United States. Democrats in Congress fear that Doha may be trying to improperly influence the US government.
Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Jassim Al-Thani said publicly on Monday, 19, for the first time his government had approved the airplane as a gift, rejecting the idea that this would be an attempt to influence the US president.
“I don’t know why people are thinking,” he said. “We are a country that I would like to have a solid partnership and a strong US friendship. Everything we provide to any country is supplied out of respect for this partnership and is a two -way relationship.
The new plane will be the third to be refurbished for use like Air Force One, replacing two planes that were used for 35 years and had maintenance problems. The first Boeing planes is scheduled to be delivered in 2027.
*With information from Estadão Content
Posted by Nátaly Tenório
