A Boeing 747 gifted to President Donald Trump by Qatar touched down at Joint Base Andrews on Friday, June 19 — ahead of the expected delivery date. The plane, valued at $400 million, is slated to serve as a new Air Force One.
The jet’s arrival drew sharp criticism almost immediately. It’s one of the largest foreign gifts the U.S. government has ever accepted, and that scale alone put the deal under a harsh spotlight — both from ethics watchdogs and members of Congress who questioned whether the transaction was lawful.
The controversy
The core objection isn’t just about the plane. Critics argued that accepting a $400 million aircraft from a foreign government raises constitutional questions under the Emoluments Clause, which bars federal officials from taking gifts from foreign states without congressional approval. Whether that approval was sought or granted isn’t clear from what’s been disclosed publicly.
Qatar’s motive for the gift also hasn’t been explained in official statements. The Gulf state has long sought closer U.S. defense ties — it hosts Al Udeid Air Base, one of the largest American military installations in the Middle East — but no formal link between the plane and any diplomatic arrangement has been confirmed.
At $400 million, the aircraft dwarfs previous foreign gifts to the U.S. government by a wide margin. NPR described it as one of the biggest ever received.
The Boeing 747 would need significant retrofitting before it could carry the president securely — armored communications systems, defensive countermeasures, and other classified modifications. The cost of that work, and who pays for it, hasn’t been announced.
Originally reported by NPR. Read the original report.
