2:43A Qatari Boeing 747 is parked on the tarmac at Palm Beach International airport following President Donald Trump’s inspection of the aircraft on Feb. 15, 2025. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
The Trump administration has accepted an “unconditional donation” of a luxury jet from Qatar, with no conditions regarding the aircraft’s fate after President Donald Trump exits office, according to a document reviewed by ABC News.
The memorandum of understanding, or MOU, was finalized earlier this month by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Qatar’s Minister of State for Defense Affairs, Soud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.
This agreement sets the stage for the Air Force to initiate the process of retrofitting the aircraft — referred to as a “flying palace” due to its opulent interiors — for presidential use.
According to sources who spoke to ABC News earlier this year, after the president departs from office, the intention was to transfer the ownership of the jet to the Trump presidential library foundation.
A Qatari Boeing 747 is stationed on the tarmac of Palm Beach International airport after President Donald Trump inspected the aircraft on Feb. 15, 2025. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
The expenses associated with refurbishing the plane remain classified, although lawmakers have suggested that it could reach as high as $1 billion.
The Air Force directed inquiries regarding the agreement to Hegseth’s office, which in turn directed a reporter back to the Air Force.
“Why would we ask the American taxpayer to invest upwards of $1 billion on an aircraft that would only be utilized for a few months and then be transferred directly to the president? That doesn’t seem like a prudent expenditure of taxpayer funds,” remarked Sen. Chris Murphy, D-N.Y., during a Senate hearing in June.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink informed lawmakers that the funding for the jet’s refurbishment would be sourced from a program designed to replace aging nuclear missiles, known as the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program.
However, Meink indicated that the Sentinel nuclear program, which is currently over budget, would not be immediately affected because it is undergoing restructuring.
Trump has frequently expressed dissatisfaction with the primary aircraft utilized in the existing Air Force One fleet, which comprises Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets that have been in service since 1990. The Air Force has a contract with Boeing to replace these planes.
“The aircraft is being donated in its existing condition (“as is”), without any warranties or guarantees, unless otherwise arranged in future agreements,” the new memo states.
“The donation is unconditional, and the aircraft may be utilized or disposed of by the DOD at its sole discretion, in any manner it considers suitable, so long as such use or disposal complies with United States laws,” the memo further states.
Nothing in the agreement should be “interpreted or construed” as “an offer, promise, or acceptance of any form of bribery, undue influence, or corrupt practice,” the memo adds, describing it as a “bona fide gift.”
The Washington Post was the first to report the specifics of the agreement.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
