The Trump administration is set to accept a lavish gift from the Qatari Royal Family, and it has people talking.
This is the first time the US has accepted such an extremely generous gift from another foreign government. The Boeing 747-8 jumbo is currently worth a staggering $400 million and, if and when accepted, it will be Trump’s new Air Force One
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It will go down during his foreign trip
Sources confirmed to ABC News that the generous gift exchange is expected to take place sometime next week during US President Donald Trump’s visit to Doha, Qatar on the first foreign trip of his second term.
What will happen to the plane?
The “flying palace” is set to be modified to accommodate Trump and be used as Air Force One during the president’s second term, according to sources reporting to CNN.
Shortly before he leaves office, the luxurious plane’s ownership will be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation.
The gift has raised ethical and legal questions
A Qatari official believes that the gift is from the Qatari Ministry of Defense to the Pentagon, instead of being a personal gesture from the Qatari royal family to Trump.
Some even view it as a bribe rather than a mere respectful gesture.
The Secret Service dubbed it a “security nightmare”
“The (US Air Force) would have to tear it apart looking for surveillance equipment and inspect the integrity of the plane,” a law enforcement source told CNN.
Another source said that the security check will start with the White House Communications Agency, then proceed with the CIA and National Security Agency to conduct a technical countermeasures sweep.
Redditors were outraged
Many Redditors have stated that their contracts forced them not to accept expensive gifts, with some even unable to accept gifts of more than $50 worth.
“Nothing says American exceptionalism like not being able to build our own AF-1. Nothing says MAGA failure like actually accepting this as a gift,” one user stated.
Is it legally permissible for Trump to accept such a gift?
Attorney General Pam Bondi and Trump’s own top White House lawyer David Warrington stated that it is legally permissible for Trump to accept the gift.
The gift is sent with no special occasion, unbound to bribery, and cannot breach the rule about foreign gifts as it is given to the US Air Force rather than Trump himself.
