A $400 million luxury plane which the Qatar Royal family offered to U.S. President Donald Trump is currently generating controversy.
The royal family has the jumbo jet is for Trump’s exclusive use as a presidential plane, but critics have rejected the offer, which they described as unethical.
But Trump has agreed to accept it, saying it would be stupid to turn down such generous offer.
The plane, which would be outfitted to serve as Air Force One, would be one of the most valuable gifts ever received by the U.S. government.
Trump said the Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab 747-8 airplane would eventually be donated to his presidential library – a repository housing research materials from his administration – and that he had no plans to use it for personal reasons after leaving office.
“I think it’s a great gesture from Qatar. I appreciate it very much. I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer,” Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving for a trip to the Middle East.
“I mean, I could be a stupid person saying, ‘No, we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane.”
Qatar to donate a jumbo jet for Trump’s exclusive use as a presidential plane
Washington — The royal family of Qatar is donating a jumbo jet for President Trump’s exclusive use as a presidential plane, sources told CBS News.
ABC News first reported the gift, which comes as Mr. Trump heads to Qatar as part of his first international trip of his second term.
But the plane, a 747-8, won’t be ready to serve as Air Force One quite yet, and Mr. Trump won’t be using it to fly back to the U.S. from the Middle East. The plane needs to be checked for security and spying devices before it is accepted, one of the sources told CBS News.
The plane will be donated to the future Trump presidential library shortly before he leaves office.
In an earlier remark from the Oval Office, Trump said the current plane used for Air Force One is nearly 40 years old, and he had signed an executive order in his first term to upgrade it.
“When the election didn’t exactly work out the way that it should have, a lot of work was not done on the plane,” he said. “When I came back, I said, by the way, what’s going on with the Boeings that are coming? ‘Well sir, they’re way behind.’”
“I think Qatar, who has really, we’ve helped them a lot over the years in terms of security and safety… I have a lot of respect for the leadership.
“They knew about it because they buy Boeings, they buy a lot of Boeings, and they knew about it, and they said, we would like to do something. And if we can get a 747 as a contribution to our Defense Department to use during a couple of years while they’re building the other ones, I think that was a very nice gesture. Now I could be a stupid person and say, oh no, we don’t want a free plane.”
