Topline
The Trump administration is making plans to accept a Boeing 747-8 luxury plane from the royal family in Qatar to be used as Air Force One and then be donated to President Donald Trump’s presidential library, multiple outlets reported Sunday, marking one of the largest foreign gifts ever given to the U.S. government.
US President Donald Trump speaks with the media aboard Air Force One as he flies from West Palm … More
Key Facts
The Qatari royal family’s gift is expected to be formally announced next week as Trump visits Qatar during the first foreign trip of his second term, according to ABC News—which first reported the gift early Sunday.
A Qatari official told CNN the plane is being gifted specifically from the Qatari Ministry of Defense to the Pentagon, which will modify the plane to be up to Air Force One’s safety standards.
Once the plane is donated to Trump’s presidential library just before the end of his term, he will be able to use it as a private citizen, multiple outlets reported, which could raise questions about the legality of the gift.
Forbes has reached out to the White House for comment on the reported plan to accept the plane.
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Is It Legal For Trump To Accept The Plane From Qatar?
A foreign emoluments clause in the U.S. Constitution states “no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.” But anonymous sources told ABC News that Trump’s administration had already determined it is legal for the Defense Department to accept the plane and later give it to Trump’s library. ABC News also reported Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a legal memo last week to the White House counsel office saying it would be “legally permissible” for Qatar to condition the donation with the fact that it must be donated to Trump’s library before his term is up.
What Kind Of Plane Is Air Force One Now?
Air Force One can technically be any Air Force aircraft carrying the president, but it’s mainly associated with two planes that are part of the president’s air travel fleet, and both are “specially configured Boeing 747-200B’s,” according to the Air Force and Boeing. Beyond differing from Boeing’s standard 747 in terms of plane capacity, the Air Force One planes have different “electronic and communications equipment,” a self-contained baggage loader, air-stairs and it can refuel in-flight. It has a stateroom and office for the president, and a conference/dining room, along with separate accommodations for guests, staff and media.
When Could Trump Use The New Plane?
It’s not clear, because the plane would have to be retrofitted to meet the Air Force One standards for security. An unnamed Defense Department official told The New York Times on Sunday it would take a while to secure a contract to make the upgrades, and then actually modify the plane, saying: “We’re talking years, not months.”
Big Number
$400 million. That’s about how much a Boeing 747-8 plane costs, according to multiple outlets, including Business Insider, which reported it was the largest private jet in 2020.
Key Background
Trump had previously toured the plane back in February, and at the time The New York Times reported he was considering it to be a new Air Force One. His spokesperson, Steven Cheung, told CNN when Trump was looking at the plane he was touring it “to checkout the new hardware/technology” and that the tour “highlights the project’s failure to deliver a new Air Force One on time as promised, as they are already 5 years late.” In 2015, the Air Force announced Boeing would produce 747-8s as the next Air Force One, saying it would meet “the necessary capabilities established to execute the presidential support mission, while reflecting the office of the president of the United States of America consistent with the national public interest.” CNN reported Boeing got the contract in 2018 and the planes were supposed to be delivered last year, but Boeing is still years away from completing them. In February, Trump expressed frustration at the delays, saying “I’m not happy with the fact that it’s taken so long … There’s no excuse for it.” He said his team was “looking at other alternatives” and that he was considering buying and refurbishing used jets.
Further Reading
Trump administration poised to accept ‘palace in the sky’ as a gift for Trump from Qatar: Sources (ABC News)
Trump Is Said to Be Getting Qatari 747 for Air Force One, and Post-Presidency Travel: Live Updates (New York Times)
