FROM QATAR WITH LOVE: Trump's decision on 'new' Air Force One sparks ethics battle

Trump appeared to confirm the arrangement on Truth Social.

PUBLISHED 4 DAYS AGO

Trump’s legal team, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, reportedly deemed the arrangement legal.

Washington D.C.: Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to accept a $400 million luxury Boeing 747-8 from Qatar’s royal family as a temporary replacement for Air Force One, igniting accusations of bribery and corruption.

Qatar confirmed discussions about the "possible transfer" of the aircraft but denied it was a gift. However, Trump appeared to confirm the arrangement on Truth Social, framing it as a cost-saving measure for the Defense Department. Critics, however, see it as an unprecedented foreign gift that could violate ethics laws.

ABC News reported that the 13-year-old jet—dubbed a "flying palace"—would be reconfigured by the U.S. Air Force before Trump uses it as his presidential plane. After his term, it would reportedly be transferred to his presidential library. Trump’s legal team, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, reportedly deemed the arrangement legal since the plane would technically go to the Air Force first.

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Democrats swiftly condemned the move. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer mocked the deal, saying, “Nothing says ‘America First’ like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar.” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) argued that accepting such a gift without congressional approval violates the Constitution. Others pointed to the timing—just days after the Trump Organization announced a $5.5 billion Qatar golf project—as evidence of a quid pro quo.

Legal experts and security analysts also raised concerns. CNN’s Juliette Kayyem warned of potential surveillance risks, while journalist Maggie Haberman called it "likely the most expensive foreign gift in U.S. history."