Qater reacted to the report that President Donald Trump is going to be gifted a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet as a gift from the ruling family of Qatarduring his trip to the Middle East and said the matter remains under review. Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s media attaché, in a statement, said, “Reports that a jet is being gifted by Qatar to the United States government during the upcoming visit of President Trump are inaccurate.““The possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under consideration between Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense,” the statement said. “But the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made.”
What is the row over ‘flying palace’?
ABC News reported a detailed plan over the jet, called ‘flying palace’ because of its amenities and said it would be converted into Air Force One for Trump’s use as long as he is in office. And then it will go to the presidential library. Democrats called it a broad daylight bribery, but Qatar drew the line and said it could be a transaction, not a gift. The Constitution’s Emoluments Clause bars anyone holding government office from accepting any present, emolument, office or title from any “King, Prince, or foreign State,” without congressional consent.“Nothing says ‘America First’ like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar,” Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “It’s not just bribery, it’s premium foreign influence with extra legroom.”
Why Trump needs a new plane
Both the planes that Trump flies on are more than 30 years old. Boeing Inc. has the contract to produce updated versions, but delivery has been delayed while the company has lost billions of dollars on the project.Delivery has been pushed to some time in 2027 for the first plane and in 2028 — Trump’s final full year in office — for the second.This Qateri aircraft can work as a stop gap with the Air Force planning to add secure communications and other classified elements to it.
