The Trump administration has accepted the “unconditional donation” of a luxurious jet from Qatar, with no stipulation on what ought to occur to the plane after President Donald Trump leaves workplace, in keeping with an settlement reviewed by ABC Information.
The memorandum of understanding, or MOU, was signed earlier this month by Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth and Qatar’s Minister of State for Protection Affairs, Soud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.
The deal paves the best way for the Air Drive to start the method of retrofitting the aircraft — dubbed a “flying palace” due to its luxurious finishes — for the president’s use.
Sources informed ABC Information earlier this yr that after the president left workplace, the plan known as for transferring possession of the aircraft to the Trump presidential library basis.
A Qatari Boeing 747 sits on the tarmac of Palm Seashore Worldwide airport after President Donald Trump toured the plane, Feb. 15, 2025.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP through Getty Photos
The price of refurbishing the aircraft is assessed, though lawmakers have speculated that it may price as a lot as $1 billion.
The Air Drive referred questions on the deal to Hegseth’s workplace, which referred a reporter again to the Air Drive.
“Why would we ask the American taxpayer to spend upwards of $1 billion on a aircraft that may then solely be used for a handful of months after which switch on to the president? That does not sound like a clever use of taxpayer {dollars},” mentioned Sen. Chris Murphy, D-N.Y., throughout a Senate listening to in June.
Air Drive Secretary Troy Meink informed lawmakers that the cash to refurbish the jet can be pulled from a program supposed to switch getting old nuclear missiles, known as the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program.
However Meink mentioned the Sentinel nuclear program, which is over funds, wouldn’t be instantly impacted as a result of it was being restructured.
Trump has lengthy complained in regards to the main plane used within the present Air Drive One fleet, that are Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets which have been operational since 1990. The Air Drive is below contract with Boeing to switch these plane.
“The plane is donated in its present situation (“as is”), with none ensures or warranties, except in any other case agreed upon in future preparations,” the brand new memo states.
“The donation is unconditional, and the plane could also be used or disposed of by the DOD in its sole discretion, in any method it deems acceptable, as long as such use or disposal stays in accordance with United States legal guidelines,” the memo later provides.
Nothing within the settlement must be “interpreted or construed” as “a suggestion, promise, or acceptance of any type of bribery, undue affect, or corrupt observe,” the memo provides, calling it a “bona fide reward.”
The Washington Put up first reported the main points of the settlement.
