WASHINGTON — A controversial diplomatic gift from Qatar to the United States has ignited a political firestorm in Washington, as the Pentagon confirmed it has accepted a Boeing 747 jet from the Qatari royal family—valued at approximately $400 million—for future use as part of the Air Force One fleet.
The aircraft, a luxury 747 originally commissioned by Qatar, is to be retrofitted with advanced communications, security systems, and defense features required for presidential air travel, a process expected to cost U.S. taxpayers up to $1 billion.
The transfer, announced last week, has drawn sharp criticism from members of Congress and ethics watchdogs, who question the legality and optics of such a gift from a foreign government.
“The secretary of defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations,” Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Wednesday.
The aircraft is reportedly stationed in Palm Beach, Florida, near President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, where he discreetly visited it weeks after starting his second term in office.
President Trump defended the move, stating on Truth Social, “The Defense Department is getting a gift, free of charge, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40-year-old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction.” He also dismissed accusations of impropriety, saying, “It would be stupid to turn down the plane.”
Despite Trump’s insistence that the gift was made to the Department of Defense and not to him personally, critics point to the U.S. Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, which prohibits federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval. No such approval has been granted for this transaction.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani emphasized the state-level nature of the deal, calling it “a government-to-government transaction. It has nothing to do with personal relationships.”
Nonetheless, prominent Republican lawmakers have raised serious concerns. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) told Fox News, “I think it’s not worth the appearance of impropriety, whether it’s improper or not. I wonder if our ability to judge [Qatar’s] human rights record will be clouded by the fact of this large gift.”
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) added to the criticism, citing national security risks: “Accepting the gift would pose significant espionage and surveillance problems.”
Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, estimated that the cost of converting the aircraft for presidential use could approach $1 billion, citing extensive requirements such as mid-air refueling capability and the ability to survive an electromagnetic pulse from a nuclear blast.
Currently, the Air Force One fleet includes two aging 747-200 aircrafts in service since 1990. Boeing is under contract to deliver two newer 747-8 jets, but delays mean they may not be ready for another two to three years.
The White House has indicated that once modified, the Qatari jet will serve as a temporary addition to the fleet and eventually be transferred to Trump’s presidential library. But whether that plan withstands political and legal scrutiny remains to be seen.