The U.S. has accepted a $400 million Boeing 747 from Qatar to serve as the new Air Force One, the Pentagon confirmed Wednesday, raising concerns over potential constitutional violations and the ethics of accepting such a valuable foreign gift.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accepted the plane “in accordance with all federal rules and regulations,” said Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell. The aircraft will be modified for presidential use, with a future transfer planned to President Donald Trump‘s presidential library.
Critics note the jet is worth 100 times more than all other presidential gifts from foreign nations combined since 2001. The U.S. Constitution bars federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign states without congressional consent. Trump dismissed such concerns, saying it would be “stupid” to decline the offer.
The gift has also become diplomatic fodder, with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa joking, “I’m sorry I don’t have a plane to give you,” prompting Trump to reply, “I wish you did.”
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