Trump to receive 'flying palace' worth over $400 million as gift from Qatar – ABC News

The administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing to receive a super-luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft from the royal family of Qatar, which will temporarily serve as the new aircraft No. 1 – Air Force One. ABC News reports this, citing informed sources.
According to the publication's sources, Trump is expected to receive the gift next week during his visit to Qatar.
Trump also confirmed on social media that his administration was preparing to receive the aircraft, calling it a "very public and transparent transaction" with the Department of Defense.
The plane, which experts estimate at over $400 million, is popularly called the "flying palace" because of its luxurious equipment.
It is expected that after the end of Trump's presidential term, the plane will be transferred to the fund of his presidential library.
According to White House officials, the gift will first go to the US Air Force, where it will be converted to transport the president, in accordance with security and communications requirements.
After that, no later than January 1, 2029, the aircraft will be transferred to the ownership of the Trump Presidential Library. All costs for the conversion will be covered by the American side.
The decision has drawn outrage from some Democrats. Senator Chuck Schumer said, "Nothing says 'America First' like Qatar's Air Force One. This isn't just a bribe, it's premium foreign influence with extra legroom."
At the same time, Senator Adam Schiff cited the Constitution's provision on the absence of a title of nobility, writing that "corruption is brazen."
The White House and the Justice Department said the deal did not violate anti-corruption laws or the constitutional ban on accepting gifts from foreign governments because the plane was initially accepted by the US government, not the president personally.
- On May 2, it was reported that Trump is proposing to cut the federal budget by $163 billion and allocate $1 trillion to defense.