The Trump administration plans to simply accept a luxurious Boeing 747-8 aircraft as a donation from the Qatari royal household that will likely be upgraded to function Air Drive One, which might make it one of many greatest overseas presents ever acquired by the U.S. authorities, a number of American officers with data of the matter mentioned.
The aircraft would then be donated to President Trump’s presidential library when he leaves workplace, two senior officers mentioned. Such a present raises the likelihood that Mr. Trump would have use of the aircraft even after his presidency ends.
Whereas a Qatari official described the proposal as nonetheless below dialogue and the White Home mentioned that presents it accepted could be performed in full compliance with the legislation, Democratic lawmakers and good authorities teams expressed outrage over the substantial moral points the plan offered. They cited the intersection of Mr. Trump’s official duties together with his enterprise pursuits within the Center East, the immense worth of the lavishly appointed aircraft and the belief that Mr. Trump would have use of it after leaving workplace. Offered new, a industrial Boeing 747-8 prices within the vary of $400 million.
“Even in a presidency outlined by grift, this transfer is surprising,” mentioned Robert Weissman, a co-president of Public Citizen, a client advocacy group. “It makes clear that U.S. overseas coverage below Donald Trump is up on the market.”
Mr. Trump’s personal non-public aircraft, generally known as “Trump Drive One,” is an older 757 jet that first flew within the early Nineties and was then utilized by the Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Mr. Trump purchased it in 2011. The Qatari jet, if Mr. Trump continued flying it after leaving workplace, would give him a considerably newer aircraft for his personal use.
ABC News reported Sunday morning that the reward of the aircraft was to be introduced within the coming days as Mr. Trump made the primary prolonged overseas journey of his presidency to 3 nations within the Center East, together with Qatar. The plan would fulfill the president’s need for a brand new Air Drive One after repeated delays involving a authorities contract to Boeing for 2 new jets to serve that function.
