Trump could receive a luxury plane from Qatar – and accept it
A Boeing from Qatar could soon take off as Air Force One for US President Trump. The deal would break with convention and likely raise ethical and legal questions.
According to US media reports , US President Donald Trump could accept a luxury Boeing aircraft as a gift from the family of the Emir of Qatar. The aircraft would be upgraded to the presidential aircraft Air Force One and donated to his presidential foundation after Trump leaves office, several US media outlets reported. This would be a highly unusual step. The White House has not commented on the possible plans. According to reports, the aircraft is a long-haul Boeing 747-8.
A new Boeing 747-8 costs more than $400 million (€355 million) according to the 2019 list price. According to US media, the aircraft in question is more than a decade old. The two current presidential aircraft have been in service since the 1990s. They are two converted Boeing 747-200Bs. One aircraft and a similarly configured backup aircraft are specifically tailored to the needs of the US president as a flying office. They feature state-of-the-art communications technology and anti-missile capabilities, and can be refueled in mid-air.
Trump ordered two new aircraft from Boeing during his first term in office . After years of delays and rising costs, it's unclear whether at least one of the two ordered 747s will be delivered during Trump's term. Recently, tech billionaire Elon Musk was supposed to ensure that Trump gets a new presidential aircraft more quickly. In his private life, Trump uses a Boeing 757, nicknamed "Trump Force One."
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