The Trump administration is considering accepting a luxury Boeing 747-8 as a donation from Qatar. This plane would be used as Air Force One and later donated to Trump's presidential library. This plan has raised significant ethical concerns due to its substantial value ($400 million) and the potential conflict of interest involving Trump's business interests in the Middle East.
Democratic lawmakers and good governance groups criticized the plan. The key concerns revolved around the intersection of Mr. Trump's official duties with his business interests in the Middle East, the plane's immense value, and the assumption that Mr. Trump would use it after leaving office.
The White House stated that any gift from a foreign government is accepted in compliance with all applicable laws. However, a Qatari government spokesperson denied reports that the plane was being offered during Trump's Middle East trip, stating that it's under consideration between Qatar's Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense but is under review by legal departments. A White House official also stated that the plane would not be presented or accepted that week.
The plan to use the plane as Air Force One and then transfer it to Trump's library is being compared to President Reagan's presidential library which received his Air Force One. However, at the time Reagan did not fly around using the plane. One concern is that the initial proposal to immediately donate the plane to Trump's library would violate the emoluments clause. The current plan aims to circumvent this by having the government accept the plane before transferring it to the library.
The Qatari-owned 747 would likely be retrofitted by L3Harris in Texas. Completion time is estimated to take years. This is due to required security upgrades and modifications necessary for an AF1, and the need for a complete contract and approval before any work can begin.