Qatar pushes again on stories of $400M Boeing jet reward to Trump | EUROtoday

Qatari officers have described stories that the nation’s royal household is gifting a $400 million Boeing jet to President Donald Trump as “inaccurate.”

ABC News reported Sunday that the aircraft can be out there to President Donald Trump to make use of as the brand new Air Force One till shortly earlier than his departure, at which level it is going to be transferred to the muse chargeable for the Trump presidential library.

The president has made it no secret that he’s bored with ready for Boeing to supply a brand new Air Force One to interchange the present planes, two modified 747-200 jumbo jets identified by the mannequin quantity VC-25A, which date from 1990.

Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s Media Attaché to the US, instructed Politico that the deal involving the aircraft had but to be finalized.

“The possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under consideration between Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense, but the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made,” Al-Ansari mentioned.

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In February, Trump mentioned he was “not happy” with the gradual progress and price overruns on the brand new presidential plane, which had been ordered in 2018, throughout his first time period.

The Wall Street Journal first reported that the federal authorities is hiring protection contractor L3Harris to refurbish a Boeing 747 beforehand utilized by the Qatari authorities. It now seems that the aircraft might be gifted to the U.S. subsequent week throughout Trump’s first official overseas journey, barring the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome.

ABC’s report cites sources which can be accustomed to the preparations.

Trump toured the aircraft in February when it was parked at Palm Beach International Airport. It is alleged to be so opulently configured that it has been known as a “flying palace.”

The president hit out at those that had been crucial of the reward in a put up on FactSocial.

“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. Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA.”

Meanwhile, the association has set off alarm bells in regards to the legality of accepting such a useful reward from a overseas authorities below the Constitution’s emoluments clause. The clause prohibits any authorities official from accepting presents from “any King, Prince or foreign State.” Qatar is a U.S. ally and main diplomatic drive within the Middle East.

Sources instructed ABC News that attorneys for the White House counsel’s workplace and the Department of Justice drafted an evaluation for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that concluded it’s authorized for the Department of Defense to simply accept the plane as a present and later flip it over to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation.

They declare it doesn’t violate bribery legal guidelines as it’s not conditioned on any official act and isn’t being given to a person, however quite to the Air Force after which the Trump library.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House lawyer David Warrington mentioned it might be “legally permissible” for the donation of the plane to be conditioned on transferring its possession to Trump’s presidential library earlier than the top of his time period, and never the president, personally, the sources instructed the community.

They mentioned Bondi supplied a authorized memorandum on the matter to the White House counsel’s workplace final week after her recommendation was sought on the legalities of the reward.

Nevertheless, Democrats and even Trump’s far-right ally Laura Loomer have condemned the reported association.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer mentioned on X: “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.” There had been related allegations from others on social media.

Axios stories that Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York wrote to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the appearing Department of Defense inspector normal, and the Office of Government Ethics requesting a probe into the matter. The Democratic National Committee known as it Trump’s “latest grift.”

Loomer additionally posted her disapproval: “I love President Trump. I would take a bullet for him. But, I have to call a spade a spade. We cannot accept a $400 million ‘gift’ from jihadists in suits.”

“The Qataris fund the same Iranian proxies in Hamas and Hezbollah who have murdered U.S. Service Members. The same proxies that have worked with the Mexican cartels to get jihadists across our border,” she continued, pushing a far-right conspiracy principle. “This is really going to be such a stain on the admin if this is true. And I say that as someone who would take a bullet for Trump. I’m so disappointed.”

Any plane used to move the president should meet strict U.S. army specs, and so the 13-year-old aircraft will initially be transferred to the Air Force for modifications.

The full scope of modifications is unknown, however current planes embrace radiation shielding, quite a lot of communications programs, and anti-missile expertise. Notably, neither the Qatari aircraft nor the upcoming VC-25B plane being constructed by Boeing can have the air-to-air refueling capabilities of the present presidential aircraft, permitting it to remain airborne primarily indefinitely and with limitless vary.

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Once modified, Trump will be capable of use the plane till January 1, 2029, when it is going to be transferred to the library, lower than three weeks earlier than his time period ends. The Air Force can pay for any prices referring to its switch, the sources instructed ABC News.

Boeing estimated that the brand new Air Force One planes presently on order won’t be prepared till 2029. Trump requested Elon Musk to work with them on the undertaking, and an up to date timeline of 2027 was given, although the president was insistent that he needs a brand new aircraft this 12 months.

Trump will make his first official overseas journey of his second time period this coming week, visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The focus might be on “economic agreements.”

The Trump Organization, run by the president’s two eldest sons, has rising pursuits within the Middle East. An ethics settlement launched by the corporate in January forbids offers with overseas governments however permits these with non-public firms.