Latest news with #TrumpJet
Forbes
21-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
U.S. Formally Accepts Qatar's Luxury Plane Gift
The United States formally accepted a plane worth hundreds of millions of dollars from Qatar on Wednesday, multiple outlets reported, after the potential of the gift drew bipartisan criticism and concerns. A Qatari Boeing 747 sits on the tarmac of Palm Beach International airport after US President Donald ... More Trump toured the aircraft on Feb. 15. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed to The New York Times in a statement that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth 'has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations.' Parnell said the Defense Department will 'work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered.' News that Trump's Defense Department intended to accept the luxury plane from the Qatari Ministry of Defense first broke on May 11, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressed concerns about the gift's legality and safety. Forbes has reached out to the Defense Department for confirmation. This story is developing and will be updated. U.S. Formally Accepts Luxury Jet From Qatar for Trump (New York Times) What We Know About Trump's Plan To Accept Plane From Qatar (Forbes) Lawmakers Question Trump's Plan To Accept Luxury Jet Gift From Qatar (Forbes) Schumer Introducing Bill Banning Foreign Planes As Air Force One After Qatar Reportedly Offers Jet To Trump (Forbes)
The Independent
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
White House insists Trump has nothing to do with $400m Qatar plane deal — despite it going to his library
The White House is continuing to deny that the proposed gift of a $400 million bespoke jumbo jet for President Donald Trump 's use as a luxury transport while construction proceeds on two long-delayed aircraft to be used as Air Force One has anything to do with the man who would benefit most from the transaction. During a morning press briefing on Monday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was questioned on whether the tricked-out aircraft currently owned by a member of Qatar 's ruling al-Thani family could be checked for listening devices or other security concerns and retrofitted to presidential standards. Leavitt quickly repeated a previously used statement about the plane being accepted 'according to all legal and ethical obligations' and said it would be 'retrofitted to the highest of standards' by the Pentagon and the Air Force. But she then pivoted to a complaint about what she described as 'misinformation' about the proposed donation, which according to Trump would see the plane delivered to the Department of Defense for use during his term and then transferred to his presidential library's foundation around the time he leaves office in early 2029. She claimed that the aircraft was 'not a personal donation or gift' to Trump and said any journalist who suggested otherwise should correct their reporting. 'This is a donation to our country and to the United States Air Force,' she said, adding later that she'd refer further questions on retrofitting the aircraft to the Air Force because Trump 'has nothing to do with it.' Leavitt's insistence that the president isn't a party to the proposed transaction tracks with the opinion of Trump's Department of Justice, which had moved swiftly to rule that accepting the gift would break no laws despite the U.S. Constitution explicitly prohibiting the president from accepting from accepting 'any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.' Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House lawyer David Warrington said the donation of the aircraft would be 'legally permissible' given that its ownership would be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation before the end of his term. Trump has long fixated on the details of what has become a long-delayed, budget-busting project to replace two iconic Boeing 747 aircraft used for presidential transport since the George H.W. Bush administration to the point of picking out a dark blue and red paint scheme for the replacement planes, which are slated to be a pair of 747-8 airliners that were built for but never delivered to a bankrupt Russian airline. But that project, which began around the time Trump's first term started in 2017, has been dogged by supply chain problems, security delays and the bankruptcy of a key Boeing subcontractor, all on top of the difficulty of stripping a commercial aircraft down to studs and rebuilding it as a hardened VIP transport capable of functioning as a White House in the sky during all manner of crises while protecting itself from many forms of attacks using highly classified defensive capabilities. The Qatari plane is reportedly so luxurious inside that it has been described as a 'flying palace.' It has two full bathrooms, nine lavatories, a master bedroom and a guest bedroom, multiple lounges, and a private office. Retrofitting it to be used as Air Force One would likely require years of work to add secure communications, electromagnetic shielding, and possibly in-flight refueling capabilities. making it unlikely that it would be available for use before Trump's term ends. Speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity aboard Air Force One during his trip to the Middle East last week, Trump appeared not to understand why the gesture had provoked such outrage. 'Why wouldn't I accept a gift?' he asked, pointing out to Hannity how 'much smaller' and 'much less impressive' the present presidential plane is compared to the newer model. 'The plane that you are on right now is almost 40 years old,' he griped. 'When you land and you see Saudi Arabia, and you see [the UAE], and you see Qatar, and you see all these – they have these brand new Boeing 747s mostly. 'And you see ours next to it. This is like a totally different plane. It's much smaller, it's much less impressive... We're the United States of America – I believe we should have the most impressive plane.'
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pence: Trump's Qatar jet is ‘inconsistent with our security'
Former Vice President Pence said during a recent interview that President Trump accepting a luxury jet from the Qatari government is 'inconsistent' with the United States' 'security' and that he should turn down the gift. 'Well, I think first we got to remember who Qatar is. We've got a military base there. I have members of our immediate family that have deployed to the region, but Qatar has a long history of playing both sides. They support Hamas. They supported al-Qaeda. Qatar has actually financed pro-Hamas protests on American campuses across the United States. And so the very idea that we would accept an Air Force One from Qatar, I think is inconsistent with our security, with our intelligence needs,' Pence said during his appearance on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' 'And my hope is the president reconsiders it,' Pence told anchor Kristen Welker, adding that if Qatar wants to give a gift to the U.S., they 'ought to take that $400 million and plow it into infrastructure on their military base.' Trump has strongly defended his decision to accept the Boeing 747-8, which is estimated to be worth $400 million, and has shot down the criticism and concerns raised by congressional lawmakers in both parties. 'I just want to say, it was a radical left story,' Trump said in an interview with Fox News' Bret Baier. 'The people here, to show you how crazy it is, they would like me to pay a billion dollars.' The jet is being delivered to the Department of Defense to eventually replace Air Force One, which has been in service for over three decades. The plane would later be transferred to Trump presidential library. 'This goes to the United States Air Force for whoever is president, and at some point, it'll be like Ronald Reagan. It'll be decommissioned, because they won't want it,' Trump told Baier. 'We need a plane for a couple of years before we get the other ones, because Boeing is very late,' the president added. 'They should be able to knock them off in no time.' Pence said that Trump should turn down the gift, pointing to the potential for 'intelligence gathering,' along with 'very real constitutional issues.' 'The Constitution prohibits public officials from accepting a present, in the words of the Constitution, a present from a foreign state,' Pence told Welker. 'Now, they may have some basis through chain of title, through avoiding that. But, I think it's just a bad idea. And my hope is the president will think better of it.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Hillary Clinton breaks silence on Trump's controversial $400m Qatari jet
Hillary Clinton has reacted with disdain to President Donald Trump 's decision to accept a $400m Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet as a gift from Qatar 's royal family, warning him that the givers will expect something 'in return' for their generosity. 'No one gives someone a $400 million jet for free without expecting anything in return. Be serious,' the former U.S. first lady, secretary of state and Democratic presidential candidate wrote on X on Wednesday. Clinton lost the 2016 presidential election to Trump – a period that saw his supporters chant 'Lock her up!' at his rallies – but she has remained a thorn in his side ever since, often pouring scorn on his actions from the sidelines as a pundit. Trump was in Qatar on Wednesday as part of the first major overseas trip of his second term. He also visited Saudi Arabia on Tuesday and will head to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. But the diplomatic mission has been overshadowed by ethics concerns about his decision to accept the jet, which he intends to use as a replacement for Air Force One. He dismissed the unease by saying that only a 'stupid person' would have rejected such an offer. Trump's Department of Justice lawyers have swiftly ruled that accepting the gift would break no laws. Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House lawyer David Warrington said the donation of the aircraft would be 'legally permissible' given that its ownership would be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation before the end of his term. But Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres, for one, has expressed his outrage and written to the Government Accountability Office to blast the gesture as a 'flying grift,' arguing that it violates the U.S. Constitution's emoluments clause. Columbia Law School Professor Richard Briffault has meanwhile told NPR that if Trump retains ownership of the plane after leaving office, in spite of his claim on Truth Social that it will ultimately be given to the Department of Defense, 'then it's not really a gift to the United States at all' and instead amounts to a 'pretty textbook case of a violation of the emoluments clause.' Professor Briffault further warned, like Clinton, that accepting any present leaves the recipient beholden to the gift-giver, arguing that gestures like Qatar's are 'designed to create good feelings for the recipient and to get some kind of reciprocity.' Another major cause of concern is the eye-watering cost of retrofitting the jet, reportedly so luxurious inside as to amount to 'a flying palace,' to make it an acceptable substitute for the presidential plane. Experts warn that it would take several years and require billions of dollars in further investment from the American taxpayer to ensure it meets the necessary standards to replace Air Force One. It would require secure communications, electromagnetic shielding, and in-flight refueling capabilities, to name just three necessary upgrades. put the bill at $1bn, more than twice the plane's worth.
Fast Company
14-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
What Trump's ‘palace in the sky' plane from Qatar might look like
The cost of flying is becoming increasingly out of reach for the average American in 2025. The President of the United States, however, is gearing up to accept a $400 million super jet, complete with nine bathrooms and a master bedroom, as a gift from the Qatari government. News of the proposed gift broke this week, when ABC News reported that the royal family of Qatar plans to present President Trump with a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet next week during his trip to the region. ABC News also reported that Trump is preparing to accept the gift and retrofit it to use as Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office. At that point, ownership of the plane will be turned over to the Trump presidential library foundation. Overhauling the jet would be at taxpayer expense. This follows a stalled deal with Boeing to update two 747-8 jets for use as Air Force One planes in 2018. Trump's potential acceptance of the opulent gift comes as, for the average American, the price of a standard airline ticket has shot up by 25% in the past year. The news also comes mere weeks after Trump chastised critics for concerns over how his global trade war might impact prices of everyday goods, encouraging Americans to embrace a more frugal lifestyle by cutting down on purchases like dolls for their children. Aside from the dystopian optics of the situation, experts have warned that Trump accepting the colloquially named 'palace in the sky,' which is believed to be worth $400 million, could present very real security consequences—and sparks concerns around foreign bribery. Here's what we know about the design of the super luxury plane so far. What kind of plane is it? The plane in question is a Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental jumbo jet. According to a design overview published by Boeing, the 747-8 Intercontinental (747-8I) has a wingspan of about 225 feet, which is double that of Boeing's fastest-selling commercial plane, the Next-Generation 737. Boeing also claims that the 747-8 is the world's fastest commercial jet, capable of traveling at 0.86 Mach or roughly 660 miles per hour. The double-decker plane is designed with luxury in mind, including a 'flowing grand staircase' to connect the first and second floors, sculpted ceilings, and dynamic LED lighting throughout the cabin. What amenities does it have? Details about the specific plane that Trump is set to receive have not been officially revealed. However, based on images of the aircraft published by MSNBC, it appears likely that the $400 million jet's interiors have been customized beyond Boeing's specifications to suit the needs of a wealthy client. An aircraft specification summary of the Boeing 747-8I model published by the Swiss aviation company Amac Aerospace provides more insight into the amenities available on board this type of aircraft. According to the summary, the jumbo jet, which is the same model as the Qatari plane, is more like an airborne mansion. It comes with five galley kitchens, nine bathrooms (including several showers), and a master bedroom suite. A few business class seating sections are sprinkled throughout the plane, but, for the most part, it's divided into a series of swanky lounges and one private office. For entertainment, the plane is equipped with live TV and radio, 13 Blu-ray players, speakers, and subwoofers. When the aircraft specification summary was published back in 2020, the plane was decked out in a color scheme of red, tan, and gold. What are the security concerns? To meet security standards for carrying the President, the current Air Force One planes are equipped with radiation shielding, anti-missile technology, and multiple communication systems that allow the President to communicate with the military from anywhere in the world. According to information provided to The Wall Street Journal, the defense contractor L3 Harris has already been contacted to retrofit the Qatari plane to serve as a presidential aircraft. L3 Harris declined to comment for this story. Further, a Trump administration official told the AP that 'it would be possible to quickly add some countermeasures and communications systems to the Qatari plane,' but that it would be less capable that the existing Air Force One aircraft or the Boeing replacements. Now, many experts are raising the alarm that this 'gift' could present major security risks and ethical concerns. One anonymous former government official told The Washington Post that Air Force One is 'a flying nuclear-hardened command post,' and that the Qatari plane would need to be literally ripped open to bring it up to an acceptable security standard. Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall added that bugs on the plane would be a top concern, concluding that the only way Trump will be flying on the plane while he's in office is if he waives 'a lot' of the security requirements needed to deem it safe. Meanwhile, several politicians have condemned the idea of accepting the plane. Even Trump allies have cast doubt on the idea, with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham telling reporters Monday that he wanted to make sure the gift was 'kosher,' while the far-right conservative activist Lara Loomer said the plane would be a 'stain' on Trump's legacy. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the concept in no uncertain terms in a string of tweets posted to his X account, calling the Qatari plane 'shameless self-enrichment' and a 'national security betrayal.' 'Nothing says 'America First' like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar,' Schumer wrote. 'It's not just bribery, it's premium foreign influence with extra legroom.'
