Trump Administration Negotiates $400 Million Qatar Jet for Air Force Use

President Donald Trump claimed that a nearly $400 million Boeing 747 jet offered by Qatar was a free gift to the United States Air Force, intended to replace the aging Air Force One. However, investigations reveal that the Trump administration initially sought to purchase a replacement plane due to Boeing's delayed delivery of new jets, and the plane from Qatar was part of an intergovernmental transaction rather than a personal gift to Trump. Senator Chris Murphy questioned Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the nature of the plane's transfer, raising ethical and national security concerns. Trump criticized media coverage, particularly ABC News, for inaccurately portraying the plane as a personal gift, emphasizing it was donated to the U.S. government. Reports also highlighted that negotiations involved Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, with Qatar agreeing to send the jet to Florida for Trump, fueling scrutiny over the arrangement amid questions about the legality and propriety of accepting such a gift under U.S. law. Both U.S. and Qatari officials maintain that the transaction is between governments, not a personal gift, but the situation has sparked bipartisan criticism and legal debates over ethics and gift acceptance.