White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned that the final legalities regarding the acceptance of a Boeing 747-8 jet to replace Air Force One as a gift from the Qatari royal family are still in progress.
“Any donation to this government is always done in full compliance with the law,” she added.
“The possibility of transferring an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently being discussed between Qatar’s Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defence. However, the respective legal departments are still reviewing the matter, and no decision has been finalized,” stated Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s media attaché to the US.
Concerning the Secret Service, the potential gift of an aircraft by a foreign government for presidential use is considered a “security nightmare,” according to a law enforcement source who spoke with CNN.
“The (US Air Force) would have to tear it apart looking for surveillance equipment and inspect the integrity of the plane,” the source said.
Celebrity Trump supporters now turning on the US president
Overnight, Trump defended the plan to accept the jet, describing it as a “contribution” and saying he would be a “stupid person” if he turned down a free jet.
Trump added that the plane will “go directly” to his presidential library after he leaves office.
“I wouldn’t be using it,” he said.
