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 response to 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 way in which for the Air Drive to start the method of retrofitting the airplane — dubbed a “flying palace” due to its luxurious finishes — for the president’s use.
Sources instructed ABC Information earlier this 12 months that after the president left workplace, the plan referred to as for transferring possession of the airplane to the Trump presidential library basis.
A Qatari Boeing 747 sits on the tarmac of Palm Seaside Worldwide airport after President Donald Trump toured the plane, Feb. 15, 2025.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
The price of refurbishing the airplane is classed, though lawmakers have speculated that it might 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 airplane that might then solely be used for a handful of months after which switch on to the president? That does not sound like a sensible use of taxpayer {dollars},” mentioned Sen. Chris Murphy, D-N.Y., throughout a Senate listening to in June.
Air Drive Secretary Troy Meink instructed lawmakers that the cash to refurbish the jet can be pulled from a program meant to exchange getting older nuclear missiles, referred to as the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program.
However Meink mentioned the Sentinel nuclear program, which is over finances, wouldn’t be instantly impacted as a result of it was being restructured.
Trump has lengthy complained concerning the major 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 underneath contract with Boeing to exchange these plane.
“The plane is donated in its present situation (“as is”), with none ensures or warranties, until 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 proposal, promise, or acceptance of any type of bribery, undue affect, or corrupt follow,” the memo provides, calling it a “bona fide present.”
The Washington Submit first reported the small print of the settlement.
