Qatar and US in talks over offer of luxury plane to use as Air Force One

Democrats and bully authorities advocates accidental it is unethical and apt unconstitutional for Trump to accept.

The United States is discussing an connection from the royal household of Qatar to proviso a luxury jumbo pitchy for usage arsenic a statesmanlike plane.

US President Donald Trump’s medication has signalled that it plans to judge the Boeing 747-8 airliner to service arsenic a impermanent replacement for Air Force One. The quality has provoked warnings from critics that accepting the level would beryllium unethical.

Qatar denied successful a connection that the level would beryllium a gift, saying the transportation of the craft for “temporary use” was nether discussion.

Spokesperson Ali Al-Ansari said the connection was inactive nether information by Qatar’s Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defense and “no determination has been made”.

However, successful a station connected his societal media tract Truth Social precocious connected Sunday, Trump appeared to corroborate that helium intends to judge the level arsenic a gift.

At a outgo of astir $400m, it would beryllium 1 of the astir invaluable gifts ever received by the US government.

“So the information that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 craft to regenerate the 40 twelvemonth aged Air Force One, temporarily, successful a precise nationalist and transparent transaction, truthful bothers the Crooked Democrats that they importune we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” the Republican president wrote.

Democrats and bully authorities advocates said accepting the level arsenic a acquisition would beryllium unethical and apt unconstitutional.

“Nothing says ‘America First’ similar Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar,” Chuck Schumer, person of the Democrats successful the Senate, wrote connected X.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected specified claims.

“Any acquisition fixed by a overseas authorities is ever accepted successful afloat compliance with each applicable laws. President Trump’s medication is committed to afloat transparency,” she said.

Trump toured the Qatari-owned 747-8 successful February erstwhile it was parked astatine Palm Beach International Airport successful Florida adjacent his Mar-a-Lago resort.

At the time, the White House said the president did truthful to get a amended knowing of however the updated Air Force One planes would beryllium configured.

Al-Ansari said the projected statement involves Qatar donating the luxury pitchy to the US authorities for usage arsenic Air Force One during Trump’s presidency.

The craft would past beryllium transferred to the Donald J Trump Presidential Library upon his departure from office, according to reports successful the US media.

Trump is to sojourn Qatar during a travel to the Gulf this week. The airplane volition not beryllium presented oregon accepted portion Trump is successful Qatar.

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies