Adedokun Waliyu 
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would not use a luxury jet being offered by the Qatari government after leaving office amid criticism over his administration’s consideration of using the plane as the next Air Force One.
“It’s not a gift to me; it’s a gift to the Department of Defense,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday.
Over the weekend, officials from the US and Qatar acknowledged they were discussing an arrangement in which Qatar would offer a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet for use as Air Force One. The aircraft would act as a bridge before Boeing Co. delivered a pair of new jets being outfitted to Pentagon specifications, and address Trump’s frustration with the current presidential aircraft.
“They said we would like to do something and if we can get a 747 as a contribution to our Defense Department to use during a couple of years while they’re building the other ones,” Trump said.
Trump reiterated his long-expressed frustration with Boeing over delays in delivering a new Air Force One plane.
“They were way behind,” Trump said. “It’s going to be a while before we get them.”
The proposed sale has generated significant criticism from both sides of the aisle. Detractors were quick to point out that accepting gift of such proportions from a foreign government would pose huge political, ethical and technical issues.
Some reports from the weekend suggested Trump could continue to use the jet after leaving office at the end of his term, before it was eventually decommissioned and displayed at his future presidential library.
Ritchie Torres, a Democratic Representative from New York, called reports of the transaction a “flying grift,” and faulted Qatar over links to Hamas and Trump for what he described as “presidential profiteering unprecedented in American history.”
Former George W. Bush White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer also raised concerns about the potential deal.
“Nothing about getting Air Force One from a foreign government feels right. It may be legal, but I wouldn’t do it,” he wrote on X. “Air Force One should be American through and through. It shouldn’t pass through foreign hands and it shouldn’t be a gift from a King. Don’t do it.”
Current White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the offer Monday on Fox News, stating that the administration is still working out legal details.
“Any donation to this government is always done in full compliance of the law, and we commit ourselves to the utmost transparency,” she said.
The aircraft, previously owned by a senior Qatari politician, is outfitted with luxury fixtures, and Trump himself toured the jet a few weeks ago when it made a stop in West Palm Beach.
The Qatari plane was built in 2012 and delivered to Qatar Amiri Flight, which manages aircraft for the country’s ruling family, though more recently it’s been operated by a different company, according to the Cirium Ascend Consultancy. The asking price isn’t known, but it would likely sell for $75 million to $100 million, Cirium says, while the interior, completed a decade ago, could add on $25 million more.
The aircraft comes in creamy white and tan furnishings, rugs and artwork are the brainchild of Cabinet Alberto Pinto, a Paris interior design firm known for clients who skew royal and oligarchic. There are custom-made rugs, wood fixtures, and artwork by Alexander Calder. The spacious upper deck has a master bedroom and bath, guest bedroom and private lounge, and downstairs there are lounges, an office and crew areas, with seats for a total of 89 people.
But even if the Defense Department were to get hold of the aircraft, the plane would require serious retrofitting to meet at least the basic standards required for the president. It lacks technical extras required for the presidential jet, from air-to-air refueling capabilities to classified communication and weapons systems that turn the presidential planes into a de-facto airborne White House.
During his first term as president, Trump directed the Pentagon to plunk down $3.9 billion for a pair of 747-8s as he sought an upgrade from a plane that went into service during the presidency of George H.W. Bush.
The two Boeing planes, designated VC-25, has suffered from a multitude technical obstacles, according to the Air Force. Boeing has pushed to accelerate its own timeline for the two aircraft now being built out in San Antonio, Texas. The planemaker says it can get them into service by 2027.
