Qatar to Gift $400M Jet for Trump’s Use
The Trump administration is preparing to accept an opulently configured Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from Qatar’s royal family that will serve as Air Force One during Trump’s presidency before being transferred to his presidential library foundation.
This unprecedented arrangement, potentially worth around $400 million, is raising significant legal and ethical questions about foreign influence and constitutional constraints.
Controversial Legal Framework Emerges
Attorneys for the White House and Justice Department have developed a legal rationale for accepting the aircraft by arguing it avoids constitutional problems because it will technically be gifted to the Department of Defense before later transferring to Trump’s presidential library, according to ABC News.
“Sources told ABC News that Attorney General Pam Bondi and Trump’s top White House lawyer David Warrington concluded it would be ‘legally permissible’ for the donation of the aircraft to be conditioned on transferring its ownership to Trump’s presidential library before the end of his term,” the report states.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that “any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws” and that the administration is “committed to full transparency.”
Democrats Decry “Flying Emolument”
Democratic lawmakers have swiftly condemned the arrangement, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stating, “Nothing says ‘America First’ like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar. It’s not just bribery, it’s premium foreign influence with extra legroom,” according to The Washington Post.
Critics point to the Constitution’s emoluments clause, which prohibits U.S. government officials from accepting gifts “from any King, Prince or foreign State” without congressional consent.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) has asked the Government Accountability Office to conduct “an immediate ethics review of the Qatari gift” and provide a formal advisory opinion on whether it violates federal ethics regulations.
Plane’s Journey from Qatar to Presidential Library
The 13-year-old aircraft must undergo extensive modifications by the U.S. Air Force to meet military specifications required for presidential transport, a process that will be funded by American taxpayers, according to CNN.
Trump had previously toured the aircraft, known as “a flying palace” due to its luxurious interior, while it was parked at West Palm Beach International Airport in February.
According to the arrangement, the plane will be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation no later than January 1, 2029, with any costs relating to its transfer to be paid by the U.S. Air Force.
Trump Defends “Transparent Transaction”
Trump confirmed the administration’s plans to accept the aircraft in a social media post Sunday night, calling it a “very public and transparent transaction” and criticizing Democrats who “insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane.”
The deal comes as the president prepares for his first foreign trip of his second term, which includes stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, though Qatar’s media attaché said the gift will not be presented or accepted during the upcoming visit.
Former U.S. ambassador Norm Eisen, who served as the chief White House ethics lawyer from 2009 to 2011, called it “probably the largest gift given to a U.S. president by a foreign government in modern history.”
