President Donald Trump has defended Qatar’s offer to donate a $400 million Boeing 747-8 jet to the U.S. government for use as a temporary Air Force One, amid mounting ethical and constitutional concerns over what critics call an unprecedented foreign gift.
In a Sunday social media post, Trump said the Department of Defense would take delivery of the Qatari-owned aircraft “free of charge” as a stopgap while Boeing’s delayed U.S.-built replacement remains unfinished. “Anybody can do that!” Trump said, framing the move as a cost-saving measure versus what he claimed would be Democrats’ preference to “pay top dollar.”
The aircraft — one of the world’s most opulent private jets and just over 10 years old — could later be donated to Trump’s presidential library foundation once he leaves office, according to reports. Trump toured the plane at Palm Beach International Airport in February.
The proposal has sparked bipartisan backlash and renewed scrutiny of Trump’s financial entanglements abroad. Legal experts argue that accepting the plane risks violating the U.S. Constitution’s emoluments clause, which prohibits federal officeholders from accepting gifts from foreign states without Congressional approval.
“This would be illegal and unconstitutional,” said Norm Eisen, a former White House ethics chief. Influential right-wing commentator Laura Loomer echoed the criticism, calling the donation a “$400 million ‘gift’ from jihadists in suits” and warning it would be “a stain on the admin if this is true.”
The Qatari government has confirmed the matter is under review but denied finalizing any deal. “The possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under consideration,” said Ali Al-Ansari, a spokesperson at the Qatari embassy in Washington.
The controversy comes just days before Trump is scheduled to visit Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, with critics already raising red flags over apparent overlaps between foreign diplomacy and Trump Organization business. Eric Trump, the president’s son, reportedly secured new business deals in the Gulf ahead of the trip.
Democrats have seized on the jet deal as emblematic of the administration’s blurred lines between personal, political, and national interests. “This is corruption in plain sight,” one Democratic lawmaker said.
