Qatar to gift Trump luxury jet worth N643.6bn ($400m)

According to ABC News, the plane will be made available to Trump to use as the new Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office, at which point it will be transferred to the foundation responsible for the Trump presidential library.

The New York Times also reported on the development, crediting White House sources.

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The 13-year-old aircraft is said to cost about $400 million (N643.6 billion as of May 11, 2025).

The president has made it no secret that he is tired of waiting for Boeing to produce a new Air Force One to replace the current planes, two modified 747-200 jumbo jets known by the model number VC-25A, which date from 1990, ABC News reports.

According to both reports, it will be upgraded to serve as Air Force One.

The Qatari royal family is among the wealthiest royal families in the world, with an estimated net worth of around $335 billion as of February.

This will arguably be the biggest foreign gift ever received by the US government, with its magnitude subject to intense legal scrutiny and public debate.

ABC News reported that the plane will initially be transferred to the US Air Force, which will modify the jet to meet the US military specifications required for any aircraft used to transport the president.

A government official said the plane will later be donated to Trump’s presidential library when he leaves office, allowing him to continue using it as a private citizen.

Anticipating kickback, Pam Bondi, attorney general, and David Warrington, Trump’s top White House lawyer, have reportedly already drafted documents concluding that it would be “legally permissible” for the president to receive the donation.

They have also argued that it is acceptable for the aircraft to be turned over to the Trump library, and that it does not violate laws against bribery or the constitution’s prohibition of any US government official accepting gifts “from any King, Prince or foreign State”.

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The plan comes as Trump prepares to visit three nations in the Middle East, including Qatar.

The US president had previously expressed a need for a new official plane.

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