A Boeing 747-8, dubbed a “flying palace,” complete with marble bathrooms and a grand staircase, soaring through the skies with Uncle Sam’s seal on it. Qatar’s royal family is reportedly itching to hand over this $400 million airborne mansion to the U.S., and the Trump administration is all ears, ready to park it temporarily as Air Force One before it cruises to the Trump Presidential Library.
But here’s the kicker: the U.S. Constitution’s foreign emoluments clause is wagging its finger, warning that no president can accept gifts from foreign states without Congress’s nod. Qatar’s Ministry of Defense insists it’s a government-to-government deal, not a personal prezzie, and Trump’s legal eagles, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, are chirping that it’s all above board if the plane lands at the Trump library post-presidency.
The current Air Force One duo, a pair of Boeing 747-200Bs, are no slouches, decked out with encrypted comms, a presidential stateroom, and mid-air refueling tricks. But they’re pushing 35, and Boeing’s replacement jets are stuck in a $3.9 billion delay, not due until 2027 at the earliest.
Qatar’s jet, a 13-year-old beauty once flown by their Amiri Flight, is no off-the-shelf jumbo. It’s got lounges, boardrooms, and bathrooms that make your spa day look budget, but it’ll need a serious security makeover to earn the Air Force One badge.
The timeline for this retrofit? Think years, not a quick pit stop, says a Defense Department insider. So, Trump might be twiddling his thumbs at Mar-a-Lago, eyeing his old Boeing 757, “Trump Force One,” while L3Harris Technologies sweats over the upgrades.
Democrats are crying foul, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer quipping, “Nothing says ‘America First’ like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar.” Ethics watchdogs like Norm Eisen are sharpening their pencils, muttering about the largest foreign gift in U.S. history and sniffing out potential court challenges.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s media attaché, Ali Al-Ansari, is pumping the brakes, calling gift reports “inaccurate” and saying no deal’s sealed. But Trump’s already hyping it on Truth Social as a “transparent” win, scoffing at critics who’d rather shell out top dollar than accept a freebie.
The plane’s fate post-2029 raises eyebrows. Will it sit as a museum piece, like Reagan’s Air Force One, or will Trump be jetting to golf resorts in it?
Public Citizen’s Robert Weissman isn’t laughing, calling it a “textbook” emoluments violation, akin to Qatar slipping Trump $400 million to stash until he’s a private citizen. Even some MAGA fans, like Laura Loomer, fret it could tarnish the administration’s shine.
Trump’s Middle East jaunt, including a Doha stop, adds spice, especially with the Trump Organization’s fresh Qatar golf resort deal. Critics smell a quid pro quo, but the White House insists it’s all by the book.
So, what’s the verdict? A savvy cost-saving move or a constitutional clown show? The plane’s not cleared for takeoff yet, but the debate’s already cruising at 30,000 feet.
As Congress mulls its role, and legal scholars scribble op-eds, one thing’s clear: this “flying palace” is stirring more turbulence than a stormy transatlantic flight.
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