Like Trump's search for a new Air Force One to Katars Jet

President Trump wanted a quick solution to his problem with the Air Force.

In 2018, the United States signed a contract with Boeing in the amount of 3.9 billion US dollars for two jets that were used as Air Force One. However, a number of delays had slowed the work far beyond the delivery period of 2024, possibly beyond Mr. Trump's second term.

Now Mr. Trump had to fly around in the same old aircraft 35 years ago that President George HW Bush transported. It wasn't just a vanity project. These aircraft, which are no longer in production, require extensive maintenance and frequent repairs, and civil servants of both parties who died for a decade or longer have been pushed for replacement.

However, Mr. Trump wanted a new plane while he was still in office. But how?

“We are the United States of America,” said Trump this month. “I think we should have the most impressive plane.”

The story, as the Trump administration decided that it would accept a free luxury Boeing 747-8 from Qatar to serve as Air Force One for a week of secret coordination between Washington and Doha. The Pentagon and the White House military office put itself into practice, and Mr. Trump's Middle East, Steven Witkoff, played a key role.

Shortly after Mr. Trump took up his office, the military officers began to discuss how the United States could buy a temporary aircraft so that Mr. Trump used Boeing's work, as an examination of the New York Times found. Until May 11th, when the President announced on social media that Qatar made the plane available to the United States, he described it as “a gift”.

There are ongoing questions about how much financial meaning the offer that was still not fixed would make, given the costs for the re-performance of the aircraft for the use of the president and the operation at a long time-or whether the plane could be ready for Mr. Trump before the end of his second term.