One aircraft that recently made headlines now sits on the tarmac of Palm Beach International Airport. On February 15, 2025, former US President Donald Trump got an exhilarating tour of the aircraft. Retired Qatar kindly donated this magnificent plane for use by the United States. Trump reportedly described the gesture as “very nice.” This announcement comes just as Boeing is delivering more bad news by delaying delivery of the new Air Force One yet again.
The Boeing 747 has long been considered the likely temporary replacement for the aging Air Force One. A true National Treasure, this iconic aircraft has been flying for more than 40 years! Trump’s remarks highlighted his frustration with the delays from Boeing, stating, “I think what happened with the plane is that we’re very disappointed that it’s taken Boeing so long to build a new Air Force One.” He further noted that the Qatari proposal represents an opportunity for the US defense department to utilize the aircraft while awaiting new models.
Aside from thanking Qatar for the offer, Trump took that moment to boast about his feelings of admiration for Qatari leadership. “They knew about [manufacturing delays] because they buy Boeings, they buy a lot of Boeings, and they said we would like to do something,” he explained. Trump suggested that taking the planes would be the most practical way to get a short-term stopgap solution.
Despite the lack of concrete details, the proposal has already ignited an impressive amount of political hand-wringing. As for the constitutional concerns of accepting such a gift from a foreign government, some opposition lawmakers have echoed those concerns. They contend that it would open up the White House to invasion by foreign powers or for foreign influence. “Any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws,” stated Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary. Clinton promised that openness would continue to be the hallmark of Trump’s administration.
Currently, discussions regarding the possible transfer of the Boeing 747 are ongoing between Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense. “The matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made,” said Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s Media Attaché to the U.S.
Now we know for certain that Trump won’t be using the one-of-a-kind Boeing 747 after he leaves office. Instead, he says he will store it in his future presidential library. The political landscape surrounding this offer may shift as Trump prepares to visit Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in the coming weeks.
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