Camilla Jessen
Unprecedented aircraft deal draws backlash, accusations of bribery and foreign influence.
Former President Donald Trump has indicated that he plans to accept a luxury aircraft from Qatar’s royal family, calling it a “gift” for temporary presidential use—an announcement that has quickly sparked widespread criticism and allegations of impropriety.
In a post late Sunday on Truth Social, Trump wrote:
So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40-year-old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane.
The post follows a statement from Qatar, which acknowledged discussions with the U.S. about a potential aircraft transfer but denied that a decision had been finalized or that the plane was formally a gift.
According to ABC News, the aircraft in question is a 13-year-old Boeing 747-8, described by some as a “flying palace” and estimated to be worth $400 million.
Sources said Trump would use the aircraft as Air Force One for the remainder of his presidency, after which it would be transferred to his presidential library foundation, no later than January 1, 2029.
Legal Approval Claimed, But Critics See Foreign Influence
Trump reportedly toured the plane in February while it was parked at Palm Beach International Airport.
ABC reports that his legal team, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House lawyer David Warrington, had already determined the arrangement to be legally sound.
According to sources, internal White House and Justice Department lawyers agreed that because the plane was gifted to the U.S. Air Force, and not Trump personally, it would not violate federal laws prohibiting gifts from foreign governments to U.S. officials.
A legal analysis prepared for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly emphasized that the aircraft was not conditioned on any official act and did not constitute bribery.
Critics Blast the Deal as “Bribery in Broad Daylight”
Despite the legal green light, reactions from Democrats and ethics experts were swift and harsh.
Senator Chuck Schumer mocked Trump’s signature slogan:
Nothing says ‘America First’ like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar. It’s not just bribery – it’s premium foreign influence with extra legroom.
Congressman Jamie Raskin pointed to the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, writing:
“Trump must seek Congress’ consent to take this $300m from Qatar. The Constitution is perfectly clear: no present of any kind whatever from a foreign state without Congressional permission.”
Democratic strategist Matt McDermott added:
A foreign regime gifting a jet to a former president. It’s bribery in broad daylight.
He also noted the timing, referencing a $5.5 billion Trump Organization golf deal in Qatar announced days earlier:
“Today: Qatar ‘gifts’ Trump a luxury jet. Surely just a coincidence.”
Security expert Juliette Kayyem raised national security concerns:
“The surveillance and security aspects are also as disturbing as the grift.”
Experts Question Ethics and Optics of the Deal
Critics across academia and media have questioned the ethics, precedent, and national interest of the arrangement.
CNN medical analyst Jonathan Reiner posted:
Air Force One is a (checks notes) Air Force plane. A military aircraft. It’s not intended to be a palace because the U.S. doesn’t have a king.
Maggie Haberman of The New York Times wrote that the deal would likely be “the most expensive gift from a foreign government in U.S. history” and noted that it would give Trump “access to a much more modern plane than Trump Force One,” a 1991 Boeing 757 currently owned by the Trump Organization.
As Trump prepares for a three-day tour of the Middle East, including stops in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, the potential announcement of the jet deal looms large.
A Qatari official, however, said it was “inaccurate” to suggest the jet would be gifted during the upcoming visit.