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How much will it cost to convert Trump's luxury jet gift from Qatar to Air Force One?
The US administration's plan to use a luxury jet from Qatar's royal family, to be gifted to President Donald Trump, as Air Force One has rung alarm bells among intelligence experts and government officials. They say it would be a 'counterintelligence nightmare'. The time and cost involved to transform the plane have also raised questions read more
US President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport Royal Terminal in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. AP
United States President Donald Trump's decision to accept a luxury jet from Qatar's royal family has raised eyebrows. Not only has it triggered corruption concerns, but also sparked major security worries.
Trump's plan is to use this luxury Boeing 747-8 as the new Air Force One, replacing the current ageing Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets. He said in a recent social media post that the Department of Defense (DOD) would be receiving a 'GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily.'
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What security concerns has the Qatari jet raised? Let's take a closer look.
Trump's Qatari jet gift sparks concerns
The Trump administration will accept the free luxury jet from Qatar , raising concerns among intelligence experts and government officials.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz said that the plane 'poses significant espionage and surveillance problems.'
'I'm not a fan of Qatar. I think they have a really disturbing pattern of funding theocratic lunatics who want to murder us, funding Hamas and Hezbollah. And that's a real problem,' Cruz said in an interview with CNBC.
Democratic Senator Jack Reed, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said accepting the luxury jet would pose 'immense counterintelligence risks by granting a foreign nation potential access to sensitive systems and communications.'
'This reckless disregard for national security and diplomatic propriety signals a dangerous willingness to barter American interests for personal gain,' Reed said in a statement Monday. 'It is an affront to the office of the presidency and a betrayal of the trust placed in any US leader to safeguard the nation's sovereignty.'
Described as a 'palace in the sky,' the plane's estimated worth is $400 million. However, a source in the know told CNN the value of the Qatari aircraft is closer to $250 million.
Qatari jet's transformation to cost millions
Millions of dollars will have to be spent to convert the Qatari jet into Air Force One to be used by the American president.
The plane will have to be stripped down to its frame to ensure it has the necessary communications and security equipment required on Air Force One.
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'You would want to check the airplane out completely – strip it down, check for bugs, things like that, harden it to make sure nobody could hijack the electronics on the airplane … The ability for the president to command and control his military in the worst days, that takes a lot,' a retired senior military official familiar with Air Force One told CNN.
As per the military official, it could take anywhere between months to two years to bring it on par with Air Force One.
The US has been using two ageing Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets as Air Force One since 1990. The planes have everything that a president may require.
US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One for travel back to Washington, DC, at Palm Beach International Airport, in West Palm Beach, Florida, US May 4, 2025. Reuters
It is equipped with communications gear, intelligence files, and anti-missile defences. Its sophisticated communications system helps the US president to run the country from the plane without worrying about cyberattacks.
'It's designed to transport the president in a safe way and be able to withstand physical attacks, but to also ensure that the president maintains communication with military, his Cabinet, other government leaders in a safe and secure manner,' John Cohen, former acting Homeland Security official, was quoted as saying by ABC News. 'Any building or vehicle or airplane that the president is located is a high-value target for foreign intelligence services who want to gather as much information about the president.'
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The plane can remain in the air for several days due to its refuelling capabilities. It also hosts a small medical facility where doctors could perform surgery.
These systems will probably need to be installed in the jet that Trump will receive from Qatar.
Speaking to ABC News, Darrell Blocker, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) field operative, said the plane from Qatar would be a 'counterintelligence nightmare'.
'If you go back to almost anything that is given by a foreign government, there are regulations and restrictions and guidelines for ensuring that they're not being bugged, and a plane would be an absolute nightmare to be able to confirm that it's not. From an intelligence perspective, it's not the brightest move,' Blocker said.
As per the CNN report, the US Air Force would mostly oversee the retrofitting of the Qatari aircraft to meet the security requirements. Several government agencies, including the Secret Service, CIA, National Security Agency, and White House Communications Agency, will also be involved.
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'I don't see how you do this with an acceptable level of risk in a reasonable amount of time, if you can do it at all,' a former senior counterintelligence official said.
Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar's Media Attaché to the United States, told Politico that using the luxury jet temporarily as Air Force One 'is currently under consideration between Qatar's Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defence, but the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made.'
Despite concerns, Trump has defended the donation from Qatar, saying only a 'stupid person' would not accept the gift.
Terming it a 'very nice gesture', the US president said, 'I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer. I mean, I could be a stupid person and say, 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane.' But it was, I thought it was a great gesture.'
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What about Boeing jets?
Boeing has to replace the two ageing Air Force One jets. The delivery of the jets is likely to happen by 2027 for Trump's use, a top Air Force official told CNN.
A Secret Service official said to the American broadcaster that the two 747-800s that Boeing will deliver were 'already built' when they were ordered.
With inputs from agencies
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