Trump administration poised to accept 'palace in the sky' as a gift for Trump from Qatar: Sources - ABC News
Category: News & Politics
Via: john-russell • last year • 44 commentsBy: President Donald Trump (ABC News)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The luxury jumbo jet is to be used as Air Force One, sources told ABC News.
ByJonathan Karl and Katherine FauldersMay 11, 2025, 7:02 AM
In what may be the most valuable gift ever extended to the United States from a foreign government, the Trump administration is preparing to accept a super luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from the royal family of Qatar -- a gift that is to be available for use by President Donald Trump as the new Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office, at which time ownership of the plane will be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation, sources familiar with the proposed arrangement told ABC News.
The gift is expected to be announced next week, when Trump visits Qatar on the first foreign trip of his second term, according to sources familiar with the plans.
Trump toured the plane, which is so opulently configured it is known as "a flying palace," while it was parked at the West Palm Beach International Airport in February.
The highly unusual -- unprecedented -- arrangement is sure to raise questions about whether it is legal for the Trump administration, and ultimately, the Trump presidential library foundation, to accept such a valuable gift from a foreign power.
Anticipating those questions, sources told ABC News that lawyers for the White House counsel's office and the Department of Justice drafted an analysis for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth concluding that is legal for the Department of Defense to accept the aircraft as a gift and later turn it over to the Trump library, and that it does not violate laws against bribery or the Constitution's prohibition (the emoluments clause) of any U.S. government official accepting gifts "from any King, Prince or foreign State."
Sources told ABC News that Attorney General Pam Bondi and Trump's top White House lawyer David Warrington concluded it would be "legally permissible" for the donation of the aircraft to be conditioned on transferring its ownership to Trump's presidential library before the end of his term, according to sources familiar with their determination.
The sources said Bondi provided a legal memorandum addressed to the White House counsel's office last week after Warrington asked her for advice on the legality of the Pentagon accepting such a donation.
The White House and DOJ didn't immediately respond to request for comment. A spokesperson for the Qatari embassy did not respond to ABC's inquiries.
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters after disembarking Marine One upon arrival on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Sunday, May 4, 2025.Rod Lamkey/AP
The plane will initially be transferred to the United States Air Force, which will modify the 13-year-old aircraft to meet the U.S. military specifications required for any aircraft used to transport the president of the United States, multiple sources familiar with the proposed arrangement said.
The plane will then be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation no later than Jan. 1, 2029, and any costs relating to its transfer will be paid for by the U.S. Air Force, the sources told ABC News.
According to aviation industry experts, the estimated value of the aircraft Trump will inherit is about $400 million, and that's without the additional communications security equipment the Air Force will need to add to properly secure and outfit the plane in order to safely transport the commander in chief.
As the Wall Street Journal first reported, the aviation company L3Harris has already been commissioned to overhaul the plane to meet the requirements of a presidential jet.
President Donald Trump walks to board Marine One to depart for Alabama, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 1, 2025.Nathan Howard/Reuters
Both the White House and DOJ concluded that because the gift is not conditioned on any official act, it does not constitute bribery, the sources said. Bondi's legal analysis also says it does not run afoul of the Constitution's prohibition on foreign gifts because the plane is not being given to an individual, but rather to the United States Air Force and, eventually, to the presidential library foundation, the sources said.
The primary aircraft used in the current Air Force One fleet includes two aging Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets that have been operational since 1990. The Air Force contract with Boeing to replace those aircraft has been riddled with delays and cost overruns.
The original contract was signed in 2018, but as of last year, Boeing anticipated the aircraft would not be ready until 2029, after Trump leaves office.
The president has expressed deep frustration with the delays, tasking Elon Musk to work with Boeing and the Air Force to speed up the process. Those efforts have been modestly successful. Boeing's most recent estimated delivery date is now 2027, but Trump has made it clear he wants a new plane this year.
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Someone should be filing impeachment papers tomorrow morning.
Why?on what charges. Because John Russell does not like him?
He got a new plane and he made Qatar pay for it. BFD.
So if Biden had accepted the plane, you would have been fine with it? Never in a MILLION years.
‘So if Biden had accepted the plane, you would have been fine with it? Never in a MILLION years.’
So you acknowledge your ACTUAL faux outrage is equivalent to someone else’s ‘what if’ faux outrage
I know you are but what am I?
So, childish rebuttals.
Not worth the time.
I don't see how this is legal. I don't care what his syncophants said. And shouldn't it be transferred to the USAF for use as AF 1 when he leaves office?
They arent giving it to America to use as America sees fit, they are giving it to Trump.
I know that. But down below: in your comment:
If it's going to the USAF, then it belongs to USAF even when he leaves office. A library is a private thing, built from donations. It's not federally funded so that plane does not belong to his "future" library
if they do allowhim to keep aero Force one and all as i grab em buy the pussy cause my hands so small,
perhaps it should come with two Japanese Pilots drinking shots of Triple Sec, Vodka, and lime? is it ?
I don't know, Im sure he earnred the Jet, maybe he had Seal Team 6 take out a Shark, or at least jump over it...
Doesn't mean it can't be parked there.
Sorry to burst your balloon, but it is totally legal for a President to accept a gift after he leaves office for the final time.
No it is not illegal. Presidents are allowed gifts from.foreign governments the items become the property of the United States and the presiden can not keep them when he leaves office. Do you have anything that says it is?
I think someone here has cited the "trust me bro" source.
Perhaps that is what he is using.
How about this article? It says Trump is to receive said jet for his Presidential "Library", how does that work ?
Was the gift for Trump or the US?
The lack of an answer should bring the light of day.....................
She would know how to manipulate..............
Because she's a shining bastion of knowledge and known for putting together a comprehendible sentence. /s
Incredibly stupid of leftists to believe this BS.
How long is it going to take the Air Force to modify the plane for use? They can't even get the new Air Force One Fleet ready. As per your article that was posted.
Think they are somehow going magically transform this new jet over night
?
In case you missed it, Trump was already planning on buying used planes to use as Air Force One.
Same problem with that idea. They still need to be modified.
This isn't some damn Brandon deal to funnel his family members and himself millions from foreign countries and companies illegally through LLC's; or selling Hunter's POS "art" pieces for well over value to campaign donors and China. It is being done in broad daylight with the whole damn world watching.
It Boeing wasn't such a POS company they would already have the new Air Force One fleet done as originally contract.
As for impeachment. Democrats will have to hope they win the House in order to get that wish. Then they can file impeachment charges every damn day- still won't alleviate the pain from those with TDS.
Although I doubt that I will ever board an airplane again, you couldn't DRAG me onto a Boeing-made airplane. What's next after a door falls off or a roof caves in? An engine fall off the wing, or maybe a wing fall off the plane?
Massively stupid of reactionaries to pretend like there is nothing wrong with Trump's grift.
www.mediaite.com /trump/conservatives-react-to-report-trump-plans-to-accept-lavish-jet-from-qatar-this-is-insanely-dangerous/
Conservatives React to Report Trump Plans to Accept Lavish Jet from Qatar: ‘This Is Insanely Dangero ...
Kipp Jones 4-5 minutes 5/11/2025
Kipp Jones May 11th, 2025, 2:22 pm
Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto via AP
Some conservatives expressed concern and criticism on Sunday following an ABC News report that President Donald Trump plans to accept a luxurious private jet from the government of Qatar.
The report alleges that Qatar has offered Trump a “lavishly outfitted Boeing 787 Dreamliner,” described as a “flying palace” previously owned by the Qatari royal family.
The aircraft is said to include gold accents, luxury bedrooms, and other high-end features. According to ABC News , the Department of Justice has already determined that the reported gift offer does not constitute bribery under federal law.
The report naturally drew criticism from opponents of the president, including some concerns from the right of center.
“The Qatari government is not our friend, cooperates with Iran and its proxies, and funds terrorism and pro-terror propaganda around the world,” radio host Erick Erickson wrote on X.
Other right-leaning figures warned of potential ethical and national security issues, as well as the message such an arrangement could send about American leadership and foreign influence.
Fox News host Mark Levin acknowledged the report, brushed past it, and blasted the country as a haven for terrorists:
Meanwhile, Jonah Goldberg commented, “Sure appears to be corruption in plain — and plane — sight.”
Others also sounded off:
ABC News reported of the reported gift, “Both the White House and DOJ concluded that because the gift is not conditioned on any official act, it does not constitute bribery, the sources said. [Attorney General Pam] Bondi’s legal analysis also says it does not run afoul of the Constitution’s prohibition on foreign gifts because the plane is not being given to an individual, but rather to the United States Air Force and, eventually, to the presidential library foundation, the sources said.”
As has been so often noted, they will defend about ANYTHING this POS does and it's good to see a handful calling it out. Could you imagine if Obama had stated just this110 days in ? That he was accepting a $400 million dollar gift from a country that sponsers terrorism and where 'Barack Hussein Obama";s name sounds like he could have been actually, and really WAS born there, not Hawaii, cause Trump has some very interesting information that his investigators did discover. He will be releasing it in two weeks. Conservatives are holding their collective breath...
Trump will say he doesnt know anything about Qatar sponsoring terrorists, and then say the real terrorists are the police who arrested the J6 patriots.
Isn't a presidential library a private thingy?
Terrorist funders, Pam Bondi before being appointed was a lobbyist for Qatar, and talk about a Trojan Horse, that plane is probably bugged, booby trapped, and impossible to repair without costing America a fortune in upkeep.
What kind of tariff is imposed on this insane "gift"? It has a cost, a price tag so who pays the fees? The American taxpayer so that Trump gets a free flying palace from a foreign government????
The part I like the best about the deal is that just before he leaves office the plane will be transferred to the ownership of the trump presidential library (imagine using trump and library in the same sentence), and that trump will then be able to use the plane as he wishes for the rest of his life. Definitely another great victory for corruption. Yay, team!
It makes more sense if spelled "Lie-brary". Not sure if they'll be able to find a location large enough to fit them all. They'll have to repurpose an Amazon shipping center somewhere to make room.
I guess we should return the Statue of Liberty. It, too was a gift from a foreign land.
That was a gift to the country, not an individual.
Look again. AIR FORCE to be used as AF-1 since Boeing couldn't get the new one built.
It's supposed to be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library after Trump's term is done (pretty much when it would be ready to fly as AF-1), which in effect gives Trump a free private plane for life.
as long as they disable all the security, anti-missile, and upper tier communication features before turning it back over. no chaff or flares for you, trumpski. how's about a WWII army surplus parachute instead?
Trump probably won't be able to fly in it as it's doubtful that the required upgrades would be completed before the end of his term.
But as far as transferring the plane to the Trump Presidential Library, then it would still be owned by the federal government. It's my understanding that Presidential Libraries are owned by the government
I don't dispute anything you said, but it's still a plane owned by the federal government, but only for use by Trump. Or will Trump just sink a shit-ton of federal money into it and put it on display? Either way it's stupid.
musk will make that $1.5 billion up in cuts to essential services for the public ...
That's one of the most hilarious "what-about-ism" fails I have ever seen.
You know what's funny about that . Grant was POTUS at the time France gifted it to us. You know? The guy that won the Civil War? A Republican?
the same guy that made all those pathetic racist traitors that lost the civil war refer to themselves as democrats for the next 100 years?