The United States just received an unusual gift from the government of Qatar: a Boeing 747 jumbo jet. This announcement was met with intense outcry and concern by legislators the very same day. When he received the gift, former President Donald Trump reportedly accepted the idea as a “great thing.” The military jet is worth about $400 million. Beyond that, it has raised important conversations about how it would be used and what it means to receive such a transformative present from a foreign country.
A big factor is that at 13 years old, the aircraft would need substantial retrofitting to be up to the standards of Air Force One. According to experts, converting the jet would cost taxpayers more than $1 billion and could take years to accomplish. Recently, national security risks have been raised regarding the use of a foreign aircraft for presidential transport.
Now, Democratic lawmakers are sounding the alarm. They criticize the exchange for using the jet as an indirect bribe to try to lure the U.S. president into the deal. It is indeed a well-crafted and thoughtful proposal, taking aim at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s bill. This legislation would prevent any foreign-made aircraft from serving as Air Force One. We applaud him for pushing for a vote on this legislation in this year’s appropriations bills. He is calling for much more transparency about the transaction itself.
Schumer stated, “I will hold up Trump’s political nominees to the Department of Justice until Americans get transparency on this shady deal.” This announcement further highlights the urgency that lawmakers are hearing to tackle conflicts of interest related to foreign gifts.
In response to that withering criticism, Trump doubled down and defended his unusual decision to accept the plane. He seemed very sure of himself when he declared it would be “stupid” not to use a free jet. To be clear, he explained, the planes would be gifted to the U.S. government, not to him personally.
“The plane is going to the US government, not to me.” – Donald Trump
This retrofitting and monitoring of the Qatari jet is going to cost American taxpayers billions. Experts tell ABC News that even with this aircraft as Air Force One, some catastrophic risks associated with presidential travel cannot be completely avoided.
As discussions continue, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg emphasized the importance of safety in the retrofitting process, stating they aim “to allow for an earlier first delivery while maintaining our focus on safety and quality.”
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