Trump unveils a $400 million Qatari-donated Boeing 747 as the new Air Force One, igniting a constitutional and security controversy

The unveiling

President Donald Trump stood before a red, white, dark blue and gold Boeing 747 on Friday at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, calling it 'the most luxurious plane in the world' and thanking Qatar for the gift. The aircraft, previously owned by the Qatari royal family, was shown after a 10-month overhaul by defence contractor L3Harris Technologies. Trump said the upgrade was necessary because foreign leaders 'have a plane that's much newer and much better', describing the old Air Force One as outdated.

The new aircraft, designated VC-25B Bridge, was painted in a livery chosen by Trump and will serve temporarily while Boeing finishes the two VC-25B presidential jets ordered during his first term. The old Boeing 747-200B, in service for 35 years and after 223 international trips covering 6 million miles, was retired just days before.

“When it was built, it was built at a level that will probably never be seen again.”

The gift and the outrage

The donation, valued at roughly $400 million (about €320 million), has ignited a firestorm in Washington. Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer called it 'so corrupt even Putin would have hesitated', branding it 'a national security threat'. Legal scholars argue that accepting a luxury aircraft from a foreign government without congressional consent may violate the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Trump has dismissed the objections, stating it would be 'stupid' to refuse a free, expensive plane, and claimed the gift was made to the entire nation, not to him personally.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani defended the transfer as 'something normal between allies' and rejected any suggestion of bribery. The White House noted that the gift preceded the Iran conflict and related negotiations in which Qatar plays a pivotal role, though critics question whether the timing would be replicated under today’s more tense Middle East conditions.

“This is not just corruption, it's a national security threat.”

Security shortcuts and testing timeline

The aircraft arrived secretly and must complete a series of certification flights before it formally joins the fleet. U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink insisted 'the safety and security of the commander in chief is our highest priority' and that every requirement was meticulously evaluated to accelerate delivery while maintaining presidential standards. Nevertheless, the fast-track programme, skipping some planned modifications, has raised concern among experts about whether the interim plane matches the defensive capabilities of the existing Air Force One, which is known to carry sophisticated radar-jamming, infrared decoy, and anti-missile systems.

Political fallout and future plans

The aircraft is expected to make its operational debut flying over Washington for the 250th Independence Day celebration on July 4. Trump announced further trips aboard the new plane to the NATO summit in Ankara and a conference in China. Meanwhile, the president said the replaced older jet will be housed in a museum, and after his term, the Qatari-delivered plane will become part of his future presidential library, a remark that deepened the opposition’s allegations of personal enrichment.

“I see this gift as something normal between allies. I don't see why people would view it as a bribe.”