President Donald Trump’s new presidential plane could be flying in the skies soon as his administration is set to accept a super luxury Boeing jet as a gift from Qatar.
In February, Trump revealed the White House was looking at a number of alternative options to replace dated Air Force One jets, including “getting” a used aircraft from overseas and converting it to become his presidential airplane. The president criticized Boeing, whose contract to construct a pair of Air Force One replacement jets fell far behind schedule and went over budget after multiple setbacks.
Qatar is expected to give the plane to the president as a gift this week when he visits the country, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates on the first major foreign trip of his second term, ABC News reported.
The Justice Department has already concluded that accepting the jet would not violate the Constitution’s prohibition of any U.S. government official accepting gifts “from any King, Prince or foreign State,” per the outlet, because “the gift is not conditioned on any official act, [thus] it does not constitute bribery.” The DOJ additionally argued that since Qatar is technically giving the plane to the United States Air Force and it will eventually be given to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation, the $400 million gift is “legally permissible.”
Trump toured the plane that was once used by the Qatari royal government in February while it was parked at the West Palm Beach International Airport in Florida.
Afterward, the president kept details about plans to acquire the jet scant, telling reporters he was unhappy that Boeing was taking so long to finish the promised Air Force One replacements.
TRUMP ASKS TO REFURBISH QATARI PLANE FOR INTERIM AIR FORCE ONE WHILE BOEING PROGRESS LAGS
“I’m not happy with the fact that it’s taking so long, and we may do something else,” he said. “We may go and buy a plane or get a plane or something.”
Earlier this month, further specifics were revealed when the White House reportedly commissioned defense company L3Harris to refurbish Qatar’s Boeing 747.