US accepts Qatari-donated 747 for potential Air Force One use
May 22, 2025
The United States has officially agreed to take ownership of a Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar, a move confirmed by the Department of Defense amid growing scrutiny over the aircraft’s potential use as part of the future Air Force One fleet.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said on Wednesday: “The secretary of defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations.”
The aircraft, estimated to be worth $400 million, was offered by the Qatari royal family.
Not yet equipped for presidential transport, the widebody may need to undergo years of retrofitting to meet the highly specialised requirements of the Air Force One programme, including secure communications, nuclear blast protection, and aerial refuelling capability, the cost of which could reach hundreds of millions of dollars.
The White House has said that, once the aircraft is no longer in official use, it will be transferred to Donald Trump’s presidential library.
However, the transfer has raised legal and ethical questions, particularly concerning the US Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, which prohibits public officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments without the approval of Congress. That approval has not been granted.
The Trump administration insists the handover is lawful because the aircraft was accepted by the Department of Defense and not by the president personally.
