President Donald Trump is like, apparently getting this super fancy Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet as a gift from the royal family of Qatar during his Middle East trip next week. And get this, the US officials might turn it into his new Air Force One! ABC News says Trump will use it until he’s out of office in 2029, then pass it on to his presidential library foundation. The big reveal is supposed to happen when Trump visits Qatar on his trip that also includes stops in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Qatari government hasn’t said anything about it yet, though.
Now, I’m not really sure why this is a big deal, but the administration folks are all ready to explain why it’s totally legal for the president to take such a lavish gift from another country. Apparently, the Constitution has this thing called the Emoluments Clause that says government peeps can’t accept gifts from foreign leaders without Congress saying it’s okay. But Trump is planning to pimp out the Qatari plane with all the cool presidential stuff, like secure communication and top-secret things.
But here’s the catch – the Qatar plane won’t be as decked out as the current Air Force One planes or the new ones being built. Some ex-official spilled the beans anonymously, saying they can add a few gadgets to the Qatari plane, but it won’t be as swanky as the others. The current Air Force One planes are like, super fancy with all these protection features for the president, like anti-missile tech and radiation shields. But the new Qatar plane won’t have all that, and it won’t be able to refuel mid-air like the current Air Force One.
Speaking of Air Force One, did you know it’s a fancy version of a Boeing 747? There are two planes, both over 30 years old, that Trump flies on. The new versions are being made by Boeing, but they’re running behind schedule and costing a ton of money. The first one is supposed to come in 2027, and the second one in 2028, which is Trump’s last full year in office. The new Qatar plane is kinda like a 13-year-old Boeing aircraft that Trump checked out in February, parked at Palm Beach International Airport while he was chilling at Mar-a-Lago.
Oh, and get this – Trump’s family business is all up in the Middle East too. His sons are running the show now, and they’re making deals left and right. Trump even has a deal to build a fancy golf resort in Qatar with some big real estate company. So, maybe it’s just me, but it seems like there’s a lot of connections going on between Trump and the Middle East.
Now, the White House says not to worry about Trump mixing business with politics. They say his assets are in a trust managed by his kids, and there’s this ethics agreement that says no deals with foreign governments, only private companies. It’s a bit different from his first term when they said no deals with foreign governments or companies. But hey, who am I to judge?
So, like, it’s all about this new plane for Trump, but there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes. Who knows what will happen next in this crazy political world we live in.
Don’t forget to stay tuned for more updates on this wild ride!
