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| Donald Trump doubles down on luxury aircraft gift from Qatar | Donald Trump doubles down on luxury aircraft gift from Qatar |
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| President said US ‘should have the most impressive plane’, though experts say it would cost over $1bn to convert it | President said US ‘should have the most impressive plane’, though experts say it would cost over $1bn to convert it |
| Donald Trump has doubled down on his plans to accept a luxury Boeing 747 from Qatar, a country he traveled to on Wednesday to negotiate business deals, with the US president portraying the $400m aircraft as an opportunity too valuable to refuse. | |
| “The plane that you’re on is almost 40 years old,” Trump told the Fox News host Sean Hannity during an Air Force One interview on the Middle East trip, where he is also visiting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. | |
| “When you land and you see Saudi Arabia, you see UAE and you see Qatar, and they have these brand-new Boeing 747s, mostly. You see ours next to it – this is like a totally different plane.” | “When you land and you see Saudi Arabia, you see UAE and you see Qatar, and they have these brand-new Boeing 747s, mostly. You see ours next to it – this is like a totally different plane.” |
| Clearly irritated by questions about the ethical criticism of accepting such a lavish gift as president, Trump insisted American prestige was at stake. “We’re the United States of America. I believe we should have the most impressive plane.” | Clearly irritated by questions about the ethical criticism of accepting such a lavish gift as president, Trump insisted American prestige was at stake. “We’re the United States of America. I believe we should have the most impressive plane.” |
| The timing of Trump’s visit has raised eyebrows, coming just weeks after the Trump Organization secured a deal with Qatar for a luxury resort and golf course development outside the capital, Doha, called Trump International Golf Club & Villas. | The timing of Trump’s visit has raised eyebrows, coming just weeks after the Trump Organization secured a deal with Qatar for a luxury resort and golf course development outside the capital, Doha, called Trump International Golf Club & Villas. |
| “My attitude is why wouldn’t I accept a gift?” Trump continued. “We’re giving to everybody else, why wouldn’t I accept a gift? Because it’s going to be a couple years until the Boeings are finished.” | “My attitude is why wouldn’t I accept a gift?” Trump continued. “We’re giving to everybody else, why wouldn’t I accept a gift? Because it’s going to be a couple years until the Boeings are finished.” |
| Trump was referring to the incoming Air Force One fleet, a $3.9bn contract given to Boeing in 2018 with an original timetable of 2024 that has since been delayed by a number of years. | Trump was referring to the incoming Air Force One fleet, a $3.9bn contract given to Boeing in 2018 with an original timetable of 2024 that has since been delayed by a number of years. |
| The US attorney general, Pam Bondi, who worked as a lobbyist for Qatar while at her previous employer Ballard Partners, has declared accepting the aircraft “legally permissible”. | |
| But the idea of accepting a plane from Qatar has triggered alarm across the political spectrum. The Democratic representative Ritchie Torres condemned it as a “flying grift” that violates the constitution’s emoluments clause, which explicitly prohibits federal officials from accepting valuable gifts from foreign powers without congressional approval. | But the idea of accepting a plane from Qatar has triggered alarm across the political spectrum. The Democratic representative Ritchie Torres condemned it as a “flying grift” that violates the constitution’s emoluments clause, which explicitly prohibits federal officials from accepting valuable gifts from foreign powers without congressional approval. |
| Even staunch Trump allies have broken ranks, including the Texas senator Ted Cruz, who warned that the aircraft deal “poses significant espionage and surveillance problems”, while the West Virginia senator Shelley Moore Capito said bluntly she would “be checking for bugs”. | |
| Former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, who ran in the Republican primaries for president, called the acceptance of foreign gifts “never a good practice” that “threatens intelligence and national security”. | Former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, who ran in the Republican primaries for president, called the acceptance of foreign gifts “never a good practice” that “threatens intelligence and national security”. |
| Trump has attempted to sidestep these concerns by claiming the jet would technically be donated to the Department of Defense before eventually transferring to his presidential library foundation after his term ends – suggestions that have done little to quell concerns about conflicts of interest. | Trump has attempted to sidestep these concerns by claiming the jet would technically be donated to the Department of Defense before eventually transferring to his presidential library foundation after his term ends – suggestions that have done little to quell concerns about conflicts of interest. |
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| Aviation experts have also poured cold water on Trump’s claims of taxpayer savings, telling NBC News that converting the 13-year-old commercial jet into a functional Air Force One would cost well over $1bn, and potentially take several years to complete. The process would require dismantling the aircraft to search for surveillance devices before installing sophisticated security and communications systems. | Aviation experts have also poured cold water on Trump’s claims of taxpayer savings, telling NBC News that converting the 13-year-old commercial jet into a functional Air Force One would cost well over $1bn, and potentially take several years to complete. The process would require dismantling the aircraft to search for surveillance devices before installing sophisticated security and communications systems. |
| The actual Air Force One, while older, acts as a mobile version of the White House, and has anti-missile defense systems, hardened and encrypted communications, secure compartments for senior leadership, and the ability to refuel midair. | The actual Air Force One, while older, acts as a mobile version of the White House, and has anti-missile defense systems, hardened and encrypted communications, secure compartments for senior leadership, and the ability to refuel midair. |
| Trump’s Gulf tour began with a speech at the Saudi US Investment Forum 2025, where he praised the region’s leaders. He said the region was “transcending the ancient conflicts and tired divisions of the past” and that “this great transformation has not come from western interventionists or flying people in beautiful planes giving you lectures on how to live and how to govern your own affairs”. | Trump’s Gulf tour began with a speech at the Saudi US Investment Forum 2025, where he praised the region’s leaders. He said the region was “transcending the ancient conflicts and tired divisions of the past” and that “this great transformation has not come from western interventionists or flying people in beautiful planes giving you lectures on how to live and how to govern your own affairs”. |
| The trip has also yielded some major economic agreements, with the White House announcing deals valued at over $243.5bn, including a record-breaking $96bn order from Qatar Airways for up to 160 Boeing aircraft with GE engines – described as the largest in the company’s history. | The trip has also yielded some major economic agreements, with the White House announcing deals valued at over $243.5bn, including a record-breaking $96bn order from Qatar Airways for up to 160 Boeing aircraft with GE engines – described as the largest in the company’s history. |
| The administration claims the aviation deal alone will support 154,000 American jobs annually, though its unclear how those figures were calculated. Trump also secured a statement of intent for more than $38bn in future defense investments from Qatar, further intertwining America’s economic and security relationships with the Gulf state now offering him a luxury aircraft. | The administration claims the aviation deal alone will support 154,000 American jobs annually, though its unclear how those figures were calculated. Trump also secured a statement of intent for more than $38bn in future defense investments from Qatar, further intertwining America’s economic and security relationships with the Gulf state now offering him a luxury aircraft. |
| Qatar has long been on its way to being accepted into the American list of preferred partners. In February 2022, the Biden administration designated Qatar the latest “major non-Nato ally”, a coveted relationship with military, intelligence and financial advantages. |