By ZEKE MILLER and WILL WEISSERT
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump reportedly is about to just accept a luxurious Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet as a present from the ruling household of Qatar throughout his journey to the Center East this coming week, and U.S. officers might convert the airplane into a possible presidential plane.
The reward is anticipated to be introduced when Trump visits Qatar as a part of a visit that additionally consists of stops in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the primary prolonged overseas journey of his second time period. The Qatari authorities didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark Sunday evening.
Administration officers, anticipating questions in regards to the president accepting such a big reward from a overseas authorities, have ready an evaluation arguing that doing so can be authorized, in accordance with ABC. The Structure’s Emoluments Clause, Article I, Part 9, Clause 8, bars anybody holding authorities workplace from accepting any current, emolument, workplace or title from any “King, Prince, or foreign State,” with out congressional consent.
Trump intends to transform the Qatari plane right into a airplane he can fly on as president, with the Air Pressure planning so as to add safe communications and different categorised parts to it.
However it can nonetheless have extra restricted capabilities than the present planes that have been constructed to function Air Pressure One, in addition to two different plane at the moment beneath building, in accordance with a former U.S. official who was briefed in regards to the airplane and spoke Sunday on the situation of anonymity to debate plans that haven’t but been made public.
The prevailing planes used as Air Pressure One are closely modified with survivability capabilities for the president for a spread of contingencies, together with radiation shielding and antimissile expertise. In addition they embrace quite a lot of communications techniques to permit the president to stay involved with the army and concern orders from wherever on the earth.
The official advised The Related Press that it could be attainable to rapidly add some countermeasures and communications techniques to the Qatari airplane, however that it could be much less succesful than the present Air Pressure One plane or long-delayed replacements.
Neither the Qatari airplane nor the upcoming VC-25B plane could have the air-to-air refueling capabilities of the present VC-25A plane, which is the one the president at the moment flies on, the official mentioned.
Air Pressure One is a modified Boeing 747. Two exist and the president flies on each, that are greater than 30 years previous. Boeing Inc. has the contract to provide up to date variations, however supply has been delayed whereas the corporate has misplaced billions of {dollars} on the mission.
Supply has been pushed to a while in 2027 for the primary airplane and in 2028 — Trump’s last full 12 months in workplace — for the second.
ABC mentioned the brand new airplane is much like a 13-year-old Boeing plane Trump toured in February, whereas it was parked at Palm Seashore Worldwide Airport and he was spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago membership.
Trump’s household enterprise, the Trump Group, which is now largely run by his sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, has huge and rising pursuits within the Center East. That features a new deal to construct a luxurious golf resort in Qatar, partnering with Qatari Diar, an actual property firm backed by that nation’s sovereign wealth fund.
Qatar, which is dominated by the Al Thani household, is house to the state-owned airline Qatar Airways. The nation additionally has labored to have an in depth relationship to Trump after he apparently backed a boycott of Doha by 4 Arab nations in his first time period. Trump later in his time period applauded Qatar.
Administration officers have dismissed issues in regards to the president’s coverage pursuits blurring with household’s enterprise earnings. They word that Trump’s belongings are in a belief managed by his youngsters and {that a} voluntary ethics settlement launched by the Trump Group in January bars the corporate from putting offers straight with overseas governments.
However that very same settlement permits offers with non-public corporations overseas. That may be a departure from Trump’s first time period, when the group launched an ethics pact prohibiting each overseas authorities and overseas firm offers.
White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt, when requested Friday if the president throughout his upcoming journey would possibly meet with individuals ties to his household’s enterprise, mentioned it was “ridiculous” to recommend Trump “is doing anything for his own benefit.”
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Related Press author Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
Initially Printed: Could 11, 2025 at 11:35 AM EDT
