The Pentagon has confirmed that President Donald Trump’s administration is accepting a Boeing 747 jet from Qatar that will be temporarily used as Air Force One during Trump’s second term in office.
United States Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs and chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told Fox News, “The Secretary of Defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations.”
“The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the President of the United States,” Parnell added. “For additional information, we refer you to the United States Air Force.”
Trump’s acceptance of the Boeing 747 jet, which is estimated to be worth roughly $400 million, from Qatar’s royal family has been met with concerns from federal lawmakers.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) previously tweeted, “Trump cannot accept a $400 million flying palace from the royal family of Qatar. Not only is this farcically corrupt, it is blatantly unconstitutional.”
According to Fox News, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told reporters that Qatar’s gift of the Boeing 747 jet presents “significant espionage and surveillance problems.” Additionally, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) warned, “Qatar is not, in my opinion, a great ally. I mean, they support Hamas. So what I’m worried about is the safety of the president.”
READ MORE: Trump to accept historic gift as potential Air Force One replacement: Report
Asked about the Qatari jet on Wednesday, Trump told an NBC reporter, “They’re giving the United States Air Force a jet, okay, and it’s a great thing.”
According to Fox News, Boeing was awarded a $3.9 billion contract in 2018 by the Trump administration to manufacture two new Air Force One jets. However, while the two jets were supposed to be completed in 2024, the project’s completion date has been delayed roughly five years, and the jets have already cost over $2.5 billion more than what was initially budgeted, according to the outlet.
Following backlash the Trump administration faced after initial reports surfaced that the president was planning to accept the Boeing 747 jet gift from Qatar, Trump released a statement on Truth Social in defense of the gift from Qatar.
“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,” Trump wrote. “Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA.”
