United States President Donald Trump has defended his decision to accept a $400 Million aircraft from Qatar to replace temporarily Air Force One. He states that it was given to the US defence department. He added that “only a fool would not accept a free gift”.

Trump defends his decision on accepting $400 million jet from Qatar: 'Only a fool would not accept this gift'.

Trump on Sunday confirmed that the US will receive a luxurious Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from Qatar's royal family for free.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, "The Boeing 747 is being given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME! It is a gift from a Nation, Qatar, that we have successfully defended for many years. It will be used by our government as a temporary Air Force One, until such time as our new Boeings, which are very late on delivery, arrive."

" Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for FREE from a country that wants to reward us for a job well done. This big savings will be spent, instead, to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Only a FOOL would not accept this gift on behalf of our Country. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" he added.

The luxurious aircraft features a master bedroom, guest suite, two full bathrooms, five lounges, a private office, and five kitchens, all designed by French firm Alberto Pinto. Unlike commercial 747s that carry over 460 passengers, this jet is configured for just 90 VIPs and 14 crew, with business-class seating limited to a few rows.

In fact, Qatari royals offered Donald Trump a lavish $400 million 747 jet. The aircraft also have live TV, internet connectivity, 13 Blu-ray players, over 40 televisions, and plush interiors with gold-accented furnishings.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump compared Air Force One to aircraft owned by Middle Eastern nations, noting, "And when you land and you see Saudi Arabia and you see [the United Arab Emirates] and you can see Qatar and you see all these – and they have these brand new Boeing 747s, mostly, and you see ours next to it – this is like a totally different plane."

Discussing Air Force One, a modified Boeing 747-200B that entered service in 1990, Trump remarked, "It's much smaller. It's much less impressive, as impressive as it is," adding, "And you know, we're the United States of America – I believe that we should have the most impressive plane."

According to sources, the 13-year-old aircraft, requiring modifications to meet Air Force One specifications, could potentially be transferred to Trump's presidential library foundation after his presidency.

Trump recounted the offer: "'We would like to make a gift. You've done so many things. And we'd like to make the gift to the Defense Department,' which is where it's going," and added, "And I said, 'Well, that's nice.'"

Addressing criticism about accepting diplomatic presents, the president expressed confusion.

On "Hannity," Trump defended his position: "Some people say, 'Oh, you shouldn't accept gifts for the country.' My attitude is, why wouldn't I accept a gift? We're giving to everybody else, why wouldn't I accept a gift?" He noted, "Because it's going to be a couple of years, I think, before the Boeings are finished."

As per other sources, Donald Trump has firmly planned to accept a $400 million luxury jet from a foreign government as a gift. It is being considered as an unprecedented deal that raises all sorts of constitutional, ethical and national security concerns, but most members of his party don’t seem to mind.

Many Republicans on Capitol Hill shrugged off the news or dodged questions about a wildly shocking arrangement that, had it occurred under a Democratic administration, would have made their heads explode.

“Can’t beat free,” one of the Senators told reporters when asked about the offer. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair declined to comment on the $400 million jet deal, saying he needed to “talk to ethics” first.

Trump is planning to accept the luxury Boeing 747-8 airplane, referred to as a “palace in the sky,” from the government of Qatar, retrofit it, and then use it as his Presidential Plane until near the end of his term, at which point it would be turned over to Trump’s Presidential Library foundation. He maintained on Monday that it would be “stupid” to turn down the offer of a free plane to replace the current Air Force One Boeing 747, which is aging.

The U.S. Constitution specifically forbids anyone holding public office from accepting gifts from foreign officials or governments without explicit approval from Congress.

Moreover, accepting the jet from a foreign nation known for seeking to influence policy in the Middle East would expose Trump to giant conflicts of interest, as even a few Republicans acknowledged this week.

“It just doesn’t seem right,” one of the Senators told. “I think people will think that it could possibly sway your decision-making process.” “When you get something of that value from a country, one typically thinks that there’s something in it for the country that is offering it,” added another Senator.

As per an authentic report, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who previously worked as a highly paid lobbyist for Qatar, and the White House’s top lawyer concluded the deal would be permissible on the condition that the plane’s ownership be transferred to Trump’s presidential library.

“Any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws. President Trump’s administration is committed to full transparency.”

Another one deferred to the White House on the legality of the deal but he told the biggest problem with the jet offer is that it might not be practical, since the plane would have to be refurbished with various presidential necessities. The cost of retrofitting a plane into Air Force One would also likely fall on U.S. taxpayers.

Asked if she would ever accept a $400 million gift from a foreign nation, another Senator said, “That’s a hypothetical that’s never going to happen.”

Democrats were furious about the President’s plans to accept the luxury jet from Qatar, pointing to the move as more evidence of Trump profiting off the Presidency, such as the multibillion-dollar business deals his family has inked across the Middle East and shady Crypto ventures Trump has launched since returning to the White House.

“How is this gift not naked corruption?” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer asked, vowing to put a hold on all of Trump’s political nominees to the Department of Justice in protest.

“What is most chilling about this brazen bribe — and the national security betrayal — is how openly Donald Trump is doing it,” he added. “How he is lying about the need for this aircraft and the risks involved. And how he is daring Republicans to call him out. And how are Republicans responding? With silence. With their heads in the sand; total obeisance, afraid to tell the emperor he has no clothes.”

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, who led an impeachment inquiry investigating “influence peddling” and potential conflicts of interest in the Joe Biden administration, declined to comment when asked about Trump accepting a free plane from a foreign government.

One more has pointed to the plain text of the Constitution, which says that, without congressional approval, no officer of the United States can accept “any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.”

“The American Framers didn’t — & the American people don’t — want a president corrupted by foreign state money, gifts or luxury jets,” Raskin wrote on social media. “No presents ‘of any kind whatever’ are allowed from foreign states and kings without Congressional consent.”

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