U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Qatar this week, where he is expected to receive a luxurious Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet as a gift from the Qatari royal family. Amid rumors that Trump might use the aircraft as Air Force One, he has defended accepting the high-value gift.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump stated that the U.S. Department of Defense is set to receive a 747 jet free of charge to temporarily replace the current 40-year-old Air Force One. He emphasized that the gift is being given in a highly transparent manner, but criticized “foolish Democrats” for insisting that the U.S. should pay for the plane.
According to ABC News, Trump is expected to use the Qatari jumbo jet as his official presidential aircraft until shortly before he leaves office in January 2029. The official announcement of the gift is anticipated to be made during his visit to Qatar.
Trump is embarking this week on a trip to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—his first major international tour of his second term in office. Prior to Trump’s social media post, Qatari media aide Ali Al-Ansari reported that Qatar might gift the jet to the U.S. government during the president’s upcoming visit.
The potential transfer of the aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under discussion between the Qatari Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense. However, legal departments on both sides are still reviewing the matter, and no final decision has been made yet.
