President Trump, seen right here boarding Air Pressure One Joint Base Andrews on March 21, is claimed to have been supplied a brand new airplane by Qatar.
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP through Getty Photos
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BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP through Getty Photos
The Trump administration is in talks with the Qatari authorities about accepting a luxurious Boeing 747 airplane, a senior White Home official mentioned, that might briefly function Air Pressure One.
The provide, which was first reported by ABC Information, comes on the eve of Trump’s go to to the Center East. The president is scheduled to go to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The senior White Home official, who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to talk publicly, confirmed that Qatar has supplied to donate a airplane to the Division of Protection, however mentioned the reward is not going to be introduced nor accepted this week whereas in Qatar.
ABC and The New York Instances reported that the airplane could be donated to Trump’s presidential library when he leaves workplace. The provide could be one of many largest overseas items ever obtained by the U.S. authorities, and raises authorized and moral questions.
Trump pushed again towards these issues in a put up on his Truth social Sunday night.
He wrote: “So the truth that the Protection Division is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 plane to interchange the 40 yr outdated Air Pressure One, briefly, in a really public and clear transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the airplane. Anyone can try this! The Dems are World Class Losers!!!”
Karoline Leavitt, the White Home spokeswoman, mentioned that any “reward given by a overseas authorities is all the time accepted in full compliance with all relevant legal guidelines.”
“President Trump’s Administration is dedicated to full transparency,” she mentioned.
Democrats questioned whether or not the deal was even authorized.
“This is not a good suggestion even when the airplane was being donated to the U.S. authorities,” Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said on X. “However Trump GET TO KEEP THE PLANE??? It is merely a money fee to Trump in trade for favors. Simply wildly unlawful.”
In his first time period, Trump struck a deal with Boeing to produce the following era of Air Pressure One. Below the phrases of that deal, Trump agreed to pay $3.9 billion for 2 custom-made 747s. However the president has expressed frustration in regards to the time the beleaguered plane producer is taking to ship the plane.
