What we know about Trump's plan to accept the aircraft from Qatar

Topline

President Donald Trump seemed to confirm reports on Sunday that his administration will accept a luxury plane from Boeing 747-8 from the royal family in Qatar, which is to be used as Air Force One, and pointed out concerns about one of the largest foreign gifts that were ever given to the US government, that it is a “public and transparent transaction”.

US President Donald Trump speaks to the media on board the Air Force One when he flies from West Palm … More Beach, Florida, began the common basis of Andrews in Maryland, on May 4, 2025 after returning to the Weißen Haus in Florida. (Photo by Saul Loeb / AFP) (Photo by Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images)

AFP via Getty Images

Key facts

The gift from the Qatarian royal family is expected to be officially announced next week when Trump visited Qatar during the first foreign journey of his second term during the first foreign journey, who reported the gift for the first time in the early Sunday.

In a contribution about his social platform of truth, the president seemed to confirm the reports and said the Ministry of Defense received the plane as a “gift free of charge” to replace 40-year-old Jet, who is currently “temporarily” serving as Air Force One.

The president said his government would accept the gift “in a very public and transparent transaction”.

Trump's post then attacked the democrats of the move and claimed that they were disturbed and insisted that “we, top dollars, for the plane … that can do that!”

Forbes has contacted the White House to get a comment on the registered plan to accept the aircraft.

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What do we know about Katar's plan to give the plane?

A Qatarian civil servant announced that the aircraft is given especially by the Qatar Department of Defense to the Pentagon, which changes the aircraft so that they require the Air Force security standards for the safety standards of air. As soon as the plane was donated to Trump's presidential library shortly before the end of his term, he can use it as a private person, several outlets reported that could raise questions about the legality of the gift.

Is it legal for Trump to accept the catar aircraft?

In a abroad -emulsifier clause in the US constitution it says that “nobody holds an office for profit or trust among them, without the congress of all kinds of a king, a prince or a foreign state of all kinds of present, emolument, office or title.” But anonymous sources announced ABC News that Trump's administration had already found that it is legal for the Ministry of Defense to accept the aircraft and later give it to Trump's library. ABC News also reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a legal memo last week in which Counsel Office of the White House and said it was “legally permissible” that Katar stipulates the donation with the fact that it must be donated to Trump's library before his office has expired.

What kind of aircraft is Air Force One now?

Air Force Man can be technically every airplane aircraft with the president, but it is mainly connected to two aircraft that are part of the president of the president of the president, and both are “specially configured Boeing 747-200b”, according to Air Force and Boeing. The air force One-aircraft does not have different from Boeing Standard 747, but have different “electronic and communication devices”, a self-contained luggage loader, flight stairs and it can recharge your batteries. It has a cabin and an office for the president as well as a conference/dining room as well as separate accommodations for guests, employees and media.

When could Trump use the new aircraft?

It is not clear, because the plane would have to be retrofitted to meet the security standards of the Air Force. An official of the unnamed Ministry of Defense informed the New York Times on Sunday that it would take a while to secure a contract to make the upgrades, and then actually change and say the plane: “We speak years, not months.”

Large number

$ 400 million. This is how much aircraft with 747-8 aircraft, according to several branches, including business insiders, which was the largest private jet in 2020.

Key background

Trump had previously drove the plane on tour in February, and at the time when the New York Times reported, he thought it was a new Air Force One. His spokesman Steven Chung told CNN when Trump looked at the plane that he was looking for on tour to “check the new hardware/technology”, and that the tour “emphasizes the failure of the project to deliver a new Air Force one time as promised as they are 5 years too late”. In 2015, the Air Force announced that Boeing 747-8S would produce as the next Air Force 1 and said that it would “fulfill the necessary skills that were set for the execution of the mission to support the president and at the same time reflect the office of President of the United States of America in accordance with the national public interest.” CNN reported that Boeing received the contract in 2018 and that the planes should be delivered last year, but Boeing has been removing it for years. In February, Trump pressed the delays frustrated and said: “I am not satisfied with the fact that it took so long … there is no excuse for it.” He said his team “looked at other alternatives” and he considered buying and renovating used jets.

Trump Administration ready to accept “Palace in Heaven” as a gift for Trump from Qatar: Sources (ABC News)

Trump should get Katari 747 for Air Force One and Nach Presidential trips: live updates (New York Times): live updates (New York Times)