The Trump administration is reportedly contemplating the acceptance of a Boeing 747-8 aircraft, valued at approximately $400 million, from Qatar’s royal family to serve temporarily as Air Force One, according to sources familiar with the matter.
This luxury jet, owned by Qatar for over a decade, would rank among the most valuable gifts ever bestowed upon the U.S. government.
Plans indicate that after President Donald Trump’s term ends, the aircraft would be transferred to his presidential library. Trump defended the proposal on Truth Social, calling it a cost-saving measure and criticizing Democrats for opposing the arrangement. He wrote, “So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane.”
However, the potential gift has drawn criticism from Democratic leaders and ethics watchdogs. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer described it as “foreign influence with extra legroom.” Critics argue that accepting such a gift could violate the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, which restricts U.S. officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments without congressional consent.
The White House has assured that any foreign gift will comply with legal requirements. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized the administration’s commitment to transparency. Meanwhile, a Qatari government spokesperson confirmed ongoing talks between Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense but noted no final decision has been made.
This development comes amid delays in the delivery of two new Boeing 747-8 aircraft ordered during Trump’s first term to replace the aging Air Force One fleet. Delivery has been postponed until at least 2027, prompting the search for an interim solution. Earlier this year, Trump toured the Qatari jet in West Palm Beach, Florida. Legal reviews by the White House and Department of Justice reportedly affirm the constitutionality of the plan.
Ethics group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington questioned the legality, citing Trump’s previous business ties in the region.
