Qatar Offers $400M Jumbo Jet to U.S. for Temporary Air Force One Use, White House Says No Decision Yet

Qatar’s royal family has offered to donate a Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet to the U.S. Department of Defense that could temporarily serve as Air Force One, though the White House says the gift has not been accepted, Fox News has learned.

ABC News first reported Sunday that President Donald Trump was “poised to accept” the opulently outfitted $400 million aircraft and would use it for the remainder of his term, before transferring it to his future presidential library. The report also suggested the offer stemmed from frustrations with Boeing’s delays in producing the next-generation Air Force One fleet.

However, a White House official told Fox News that while the offer was confirmed, there are no immediate plans to accept or present the gift during Trump’s upcoming visit to Doha, Qatar this week. “Any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. “President Trump’s Administration is committed to full transparency.”

In a Truth Social post Sunday night, Trump confirmed the offer and criticized Democratic lawmakers who oppose the move.

“So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40-year-old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” Trump wrote. “Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA.”

The president is scheduled to travel to the Middle East this week for meetings with leaders in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

ABC News reported that Trump previously toured the aircraft at West Palm Beach Airport in February. The aircraft, reportedly lavishly customized, has earned the nickname “a flying palace.”

While the jet is currently undergoing legal review by the White House Counsel’s Office and the Department of Justice, the administration has not ruled out the possibility of accepting the donation in the future.

The current Air Force One fleet includes two heavily modified Boeing 747-200s that have been in service since the early 1990s. In 2018, Trump awarded Boeing a $3.9 billion contract to build two new planes for future presidents. Those aircraft are not expected to be operational until 2029.

“Boeing is proud to build the next generation of Air Force One, providing American Presidents with a flying White House at outstanding value to taxpayers,” the company said in 2018, praising Trump’s negotiation of the deal.

Outside of official travel, Trump uses his personal Boeing 757 jet, known as “Trump Force One.” The jet, which he purchased in 2011, features luxury upgrades including 24-karat gold-plated seat belt buckles and underwent extensive refurbishment ahead of his 2024 campaign.

Legal experts continue to debate whether accepting such a high-value foreign gift would violate federal law or ethical norms, especially given its potential use in government operations.

For now, the Qatari jet offer remains in limbo, as Trump prepares for a high-profile diplomatic visit to the Gulf region.