Qatar’s $400m jet gift to U.S. Air Force sparks legal, political storm

A Boeing 747 aircraft gifted by Qatar to the United States has been accepted into the Air Force One fleet, setting off a firestorm of bipartisan criticism and constitutional concerns about foreign gifts to U.S. officials.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed on Wednesday that the jet, valued at $400 million, was “accepted in accordance with all federal rules and regulations.” The aircraft, originally from the Qatari royal family, will undergo years of upgrades before it can carry a U.S. president.

The aircraft must be outfitted with top-tier defense systems, including mid-air refueling, nuclear blast shielding, and encrypted communications. Analysts estimate the retrofit could cost more than $1 billion.

“This is a gift,” said former President Donald Trump last week. “It would be stupid to turn it down.” Trump emphasized that the plane is being transferred to the Department of Defense, not to him personally.

But the gesture has drawn sharp criticism from Congress. The U.S. Constitution’s Emoluments Clause prohibits federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments without Congressional approval which this transaction lacks.

Republican Senator Rand Paul questioned the optics and implications of the deal. “I wonder if our ability to judge [Qatar’s] human rights record will be clouded by the fact of this large gift,” Paul told Fox News.

Senator Ted Cruz echoed security concerns, warning that “accepting the gift would pose significant espionage and surveillance problems.”

Trump’s administration maintains that the aircraft will not be used by him after his presidency. Instead, it will eventually be displayed in his presidential library.

Nonetheless, Trump’s private visit to the aircraft in February at a Palm Beach facility near his Mar-a-Lago resort has raised eyebrows. The visit occurred just weeks into his second term.

The Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, defended the move as “a government-to-government transaction” with no personal benefit to either leader.

Still, critics are unconvinced. The backlash has grown louder given Trump’s strained ties with Boeing, the manufacturer responsible for delivering two 747-8 jets to replace the ageing Air Force One fleet. That delivery has been delayed until at least 2027.

The current fleet, two Boeing 747-200s, has been in operation since 1990 and is overdue for retirement.

On Truth Social, Trump called the transfer “very public and transparent,” claiming it ensures continuity while the Boeing replacements remain grounded in delays.

But with legal experts warning of constitutional risks and lawmakers raising national security red flags, the saga is far from over. The Biden administration and Congress may now face increased pressure to launch a formal review, or even reject the gift outright.

Read more on Trump’s 25% car tariff sparks global backlash, raises concerns for U.S. consumers