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Reports indicate that US President Donald Trump is expected to receive a $400 million Boeing aircraft as a gift from the Qatari royal family.
President Trump has responded to criticism from Democratic lawmakers regarding his plans to accept a luxury Boeing jet from Qatar.
Trump stated on his Truth Social platform on Monday that the Defense Department would receive a 747 aircraft “as a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE” to serve as a temporary replacement for the aging Air Force One, describing the arrangement as “a very public and transparent transaction.”
He asserted that this arrangement angered “Crooked Democrats,” who he claims wanted the government to pay “TOP DOLLAR” for the plane. Trump downplayed the deal’s complexity, stating: “Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!!”
The US president is reportedly set to receive a luxurious Boeing 747-8 from the Qatari royal family. ABC News initially reported on the potential aircraft deal before his upcoming trip to the Middle East. Sources indicate the gift is expected to be formally announced this week. The plane, valued at approximately $400 million and known as the “flying palace,” could be the most valuable gift ever presented to the US by a foreign government. Trump previously toured a Qatari-owned aircraft of the same model in February at Palm Beach International Airport.
Trump is scheduled to visit Qatar during his trip to the Middle East this week. Qatari officials informed The Hill that the plane would not be transferred during the upcoming trip.
While the White House has not confirmed the details, the president stated that the Defense Department would receive the gifted aircraft, with plans to refurbish it into the new Air Force One. White House and DOJ lawyers have reportedly determined that the gift is legal and does not violate bribery laws or the Constitution’s ban on foreign gifts.
News of the gifted plane has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who accuse Trump of exploiting the presidency for personal enrichment.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, called the deal “a grift.”
“Trump must seek Congress’ consent to take this $300 million gift from Qatar. The Constitution is perfectly clear: no present ‘of any kind whatever’ from a foreign state without Congressional permission. A gift you use for four years and then deposit in your library is still a gift (and a grift),” Raskin posted on X.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that “Any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws,” according to Reuters, though she did not confirm details of the deal.
The White House’s current Boeing 747-200 jets, which have been in service since the early 1990s, have experienced ongoing technical difficulties, prompting a long-term effort to replace them.
A Boeing contract for two new Air Force One planes based on the 747-8 has faced delays and increasing costs, pushing the delivery date from the original target of 2024 to potentially as late as 2027 or 2028.