According to AFP, ABC and other media reports on the 11th, several sources said that, u.S. President Donald Trump plans to use a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet called the palace in the sky as his presidential jet, Air Force One, as a gift from the Qatari royal family, and Donald Trump may continue to use it beyond his tenure. Reported that although this move will circumvent the U. S. Constitution on government officials to accept gifts of the strict restrictions, but still caused widespread controversy in both parties.
Donald Trump Palm Beach International Airport aboard Air Force One in Florida on May 4,2010. Photo: Foreign Media
ABC said the Boeing 747-8 aircraft would be the most expensive gift the government had ever received, worth about $400M.
The plan is expected to be announced during Donald Trump’s visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week, sources said, the report said. But a senior White House official said the gift would not be given during Donald Trump’s visit.
Qatar was quick to play down the reports, saying reports describing the plane as a gift were“Not accurate”, AFP said.
“The Ministry of Defence of Qatar and the Ministry of Defence of the United States are considering the possibility of transferring an aircraft for the temporary use of Air Force One,” said Ali Ansari, Qatar’s media commissioner in Washington, but no decision has been made.
Agence france-presse mentioned that under the U. S. constitution, “Emoluments Clause” provisions, U. S. government officials can not accept gifts from“Any king, Prince or foreign”. But the White House and Justice Department considered the gift to be legal and not a bribe because it was not given in exchange for any specific favour or action, the sources said. They stated that the act was also not unconstitutional, since the aircraft in question would first have been taken over by the United States Air Force and then transferred to the Presidential Library Foundation, and therefore had never been given directly to individuals.
Agence France-presse said plans to accept the gift raised questions on both sides of the aisle because it appeared to blatantly violate laws aimed at preventing government corruption.
Laura Lumer, a far-right activist close to Donald Trump, wrote on social media x that accepting the Qatari planes would be a“Stain” on the government.
Reported that the Democratic National Committee said the move proved that Donald Trump used the White House for personal economic gain.
“While working families prepare for higher living costs and empty store shelves, Donald Trump is still thinking about how to make himself and his billionaire supporters richer,” the DNC said in an email to supporters.
Reported that there are a number of democratic lawmakers have also criticized the plan.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy called the Act“Unquestionably illegal,” while representative Kelly Morrison said the gift amounted to“Corruption in plain sight.” Is an immoral“Bribe” prohibited by the U. S. Constitution.
According to a new report by the New York Times and NPR, Donald Trump posted on social media on the evening of the 11th to confirm that he expected to receive the plane, and dismiss the Democrats as“World-class losers”. “The dod got a free 747 as a gift to temporarily replace the 40-year-old Air Force One in a very public and transparent deal, which angered crafty Democrats who insisted we pay the highest price for the aircraft. Anyone can do this! The Democrats are world-class losers,” Trump said.
Agence France-presse said Donald Trump had visited the Boeing aircraft at a Florida Palm Beach International Airport in February.
In 2015, the U.S. Air Force selected the Boeing 747-8 airliner as the new presidential aircraft, will replace the 1990 start, from the Boeing 747-200 conversion of the“Air Force One”. Boeing won the $3.9 billion contract in 2018. Delivery of the new aircraft had been 2024 but has been delayed by staff shortages, design and manufacturing problems and supply chain problems. Since February, President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Boeing for failing to complete the new presidential jet project he approved in his first term. Boeing has proposed plans to 2027 the previously delayed delivery of a new version of Air Force One aircraft, air force officials said Tuesday.