Trump May Receive Opulent ‘Palace in the Sky’ from Qatar, Say Sources

In what may be the best admired allowance anytime continued to the United States from a adopted government, the Trump administering is advancing to acquire a cool affluence Boeing 747-8 colossal jet from the aristocratic ancestors of Qatar an allowance that is to be accessible for use by Admiral Donald Trump as the new Air Force One until anon afore he leaves office, at which time buying of the event will be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation, sources accustomed with the proposed adjustment told ABC News.

The allowance had been accustomed to being appear abutting week, back Trump visits Qatar on the aboriginal adopted cruise of his added term, according to sources accustomed with the plans. But an arch White House official said the allowance will not be presented or able while the admiral is in Qatar this week.

In an amusing media column Sunday night, Trump accustomed his administering was advancing to acquire the aircraft, calling it a “very accessible and cellophane transaction” with the Defense Department.

Trump had ahead toured the plane, which is so opulently configured it is accustomed as “an aerial palace,” while it was anchored at the West Palm Beach International Airport in February.

The awful abnormal — aberrant — adjustment is abiding to accession questions about whether it is acknowledged for the Trump administration, and ultimately, the Trump presidential library foundation, to acquire such an admired allowance from an adopted power.

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Anticipating those questions, sources told ABC News that attorneys for the White House counsel’s appointment and the Department of Justice drafted an assay for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth absolute that is acknowledged for the Department of Defense to acquire the aircraft as an allowance and afterwards about-face it over to the Trump library, and that it does not breach laws adjoin bribery or the Constitution’s prohibition (the allowance clause) of any U.S. government official accepting ability “from any King, Prince or adopted State.”

Sources told ABC News that Attorney General Pam Bondi and Trump’s top White House advocate David Warrington assured it would be “legally permissible” for the donation of the aircraft to be conditioned on appointment its buying to Trump’s presidential library afore the end of his term, according to sources accustomed with their determination.

The sources said Bondi provided an acknowledged announcement addressed to the White House counsel’s appointment aftermost anniversary afterwards Warrington asked her for admonition on the amends of the Pentagon accepting such a donation.

White House columnist secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an account to ABC News, “Any allowance accustomed by an adopted government is consistently accustomed in abounding acquiescence with all applicative laws.”

Trump Admin Eyes Qatar Jet as Future Air Force One and Library Gift

“President Trump’s Administering is committed to abounding transparency,” Leavitt added.

Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s media attaché, said in an account that the alteration of an aircraft for “temporary use” as Air Force One is accepted beneath application by Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense.

The event will initially be transferred to the United States Air Force, which will adapt the 13-year-old aircraft to accommodate the U.S. aggressive blueprint appropriate for any aircraft acclimated to carriage the admiral of the United States, assorted sources accustomed with the proposed adjustment said.

The event will again be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation not afterwards than Jan. 1, 2029, and any costs apropos to its alteration will be paid for by the U.S. Air Force, the sources told ABC News.

According to aerodynamics industry experts, the estimated amount of the aircraft Trump will accede is about $400 million, and that’s afterwards the added communications aegis accessories the Air Force will charge to add to appropriately defended and accouterments the even in adjustment to cautiously carriage the administrator in chief.

As the Wall Street Journal aboriginal reported, the aerodynamics aggregation L3Harris has already been commissioned to check the even to accommodate the requirements of a presidential jet.

In his amusing media post, Trump claimed Democrats are insisting the administering pay “TOP DOLLAR” for the aircraft rather than accept it for free.

Following ABC News’ reporting, Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer said via amusing media, “Nothing says ‘America First’ like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar. It’s not aloof bribery; it’s exceptional adopted access with added legroom.”

While Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., cited the Constitution’s No Title of Nobility clause, writing, “the bribery is brazened.”

Both the White House and DOJ assured that because the allowance is not conditioned on any official act, it does not aggregate bribery, the sources said. Bondi’s acknowledged assay additionally says it does not run afield of the Constitution’s prohibition on adopted ability because the event is not actuality accustomed to an individual, but rather to the United States Air Force and, eventually, to the presidential library foundation, the sources said.

The primary aircraft acclimated in the accepted Air Force One agile includes two crumbling Boeing 747-200 colossal jets that accept been operational back 1990. The Air Force arrangement with Boeing to alter those aircraft has been riddled with delays and amount overruns.

The aboriginal arrangement was active in 2018, but as of aftermost year, Boeing advancing the aircraft would not be accessible until 2029, afterwards Trump leaves office.

The admiral has bidding abysmal annoyance with the delays, tasking Elon Musk to assignment with Boeing and the Air Force to acceleration up the process. Those efforts accept been abundantly successful. Boeing’s best Contempo estimated commitment date is now 2027, but Trump has fabricated it bright he wants a new even this year.