In a move that could mark one of the most extravagant gifts ever offered to the United States by a foreign nation, the Trump administration is laying the groundwork to receive a lavish Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from Qatar’s royal family. Valued at roughly $400 million, the aircraft—dubbed by some as a “palace in the sky”—is intended for President Donald Trump’s use as a temporary Air Force One. The arrangement, according to sources familiar with the plan, stipulates that the aircraft will ultimately be handed over to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation before the end of his term.
Though initially expected to be announced during Trump’s upcoming visit to Qatar, a senior White House official clarified that no formal gift presentation would occur during the trip. Still, in a social media post Sunday evening, Trump confirmed the administration’s readiness to receive the plane, framing it as a “very public and transparent transaction” involving the Defense Department.
Trump personally toured the jet—designed with such opulence it has earned comparisons to a flying palace—back in February while it was stationed at West Palm Beach International Airport.
This unprecedented move has prompted serious legal scrutiny. Anticipating concern over constitutional and ethical implications, legal advisors from the White House and the Department of Justice prepared an analysis for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Their review concluded that the Department of Defense could legally accept the plane and later transfer it to the Trump library, without violating the Constitution’s emoluments clause or federal bribery statutes.
Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House counsel David Warrington both backed the arrangement, provided that the aircraft’s donation is explicitly conditioned on its future transfer to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation before Trump leaves office. Bondi even submitted a formal memorandum to the White House outlining her position.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted the gift would be managed in full accordance with applicable law. “President Trump’s Administration is committed to full transparency,” she added in a statement.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s media attaché, Ali Al-Ansari, confirmed that the transfer is still under consideration between Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense. Initially, the plane will be delivered to the U.S. Air Force, which will retrofit it to presidential security standards before handing it off to the foundation no later than January 1, 2029. All associated costs will be covered by the Air Force, sources say.
Industry experts place the aircraft’s current value near $400 million—excluding the high-tech communications and defense upgrades necessary to meet Air Force One specifications. According to the Wall Street Journal, L3Harris has already been tapped to execute the retrofit.
Trump, in his post, claimed Democrats were pressuring the administration to “pay TOP DOLLAR” instead of accepting the plane as a gift. His remarks prompted swift reaction from Democrats. Sen. Chuck Schumer responded online: “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.” Rep. Adam Schiff cited the Constitution’s Title of Nobility clause, declaring the arrangement “brazen corruption.”
Nevertheless, the DOJ and White House both argue that because the gift involves no direct quid pro quo, it does not constitute bribery. Bondi’s memo reiterates that the jet isn’t being gifted to Trump as an individual, but to the federal government and ultimately to a public institution.
Currently, the U.S. Air Force relies on two aging Boeing 747-200 jets, both in service since 1990. A 2018 contract with Boeing to replace them has been plagued by delays and budget overruns. While the planes were initially slated to be delivered by 2024, Boeing now estimates readiness in 2027 at the earliest—though Trump has pressed for a faster timeline and enlisted Elon Musk to help accelerate production. So far, those efforts have yielded only modest progress.
