Former President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Defense Department will accept a Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatar, which he described as a “GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE,” to serve temporarily as Air Force One.
CNN reported the luxury aircraft is being transferred from Qatar’s Ministry of Defense to the U.S., not as a personal gift but a government-to-government exchange. The Pentagon will retrofit it with presidential features for Trump’s use, potentially by 2027.
Trump said the deal is transparent, though it has sparked ethical and legal concerns. Democrats, including Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), are calling for an ethics probe, citing possible violations of the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause.
Trump defended the move on Truth Social, saying Democrats are upset over a free jet and called the transaction “public and transparent.” The plane may eventually be donated to Trump’s presidential library.
