U.S. Air Force One upon arrival at the at Fiumicino Airport on April 25, 2025 in Rome, Italy.
Marco Mantovani | Getty Images News | Getty Images
President Donald Trump on Monday said Qatar had made a “very nice gesture” in offering the U.S. a 747 jet to act as Air Force One, blaming the need for any such donation on delays at U.S. manufacturer Boeing.
“I think what happened with the plane is that we’re very disappointed that it’s taken Boeing so long to build a new Air Force One, we have an Air Force One that’s 40 years old,” Trump told reporters at the White House, referring to the presidential aicraft which is currently a modified version of the double-deck Boeing 747.
“You look at some of the Arab countries and the planes they have parked alongside the United States of America plane, it’s like from a different planet.”
A White House official told CNBC that no aircraft “gift” will be presented or accepted during Trump’s visit to Qatar this week, while Qatar said the “transfer of an aircraft for temporary use” to the U.S. Department of Defense was under consideration.
Trump, who is also set to visit Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates this week, said he had a “lot of respect for the leadership and for the leader of Qatar.”
“They knew about [manufacturing delays] 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 for a couple of years while we’re building the other ones, I think that was a very nice gesture… I appreciate it very much,” he said.
“I could be a stupid person and say no, we don’t want a free plane,” he continued, saying it costs an “astronomical” amount to maintain aircraft.
Trump added he would not use the jet after leaving office and that it would enter his presidential library.
Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s Media Attaché to the U.S., told CNBC: “The possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under consideration between Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense, but the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made.”
Reports that the Qatari government could be preparing to gift a Boeing 747 to the U.S. quickly caused a political stir, with some opposition lawmakers arguing the move would be unconstitutional and could potentially expose the White House to foreign interference or spying.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNBC: “Any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws. President Trump’s Administration is committed to full transparency.”
