TheTrump administrationhas accepted the controversial gift of a Boeing 747 jetliner from the government ofQatar, and directed the air force to assess how quickly the plane can be upgraded for possible use as a new Air Force One.
The offer of the jet has set off a firestorm of bipartisan criticism of Trump, particularly following Trump’s visit to the country last week to arrange US business deals.
A Pentagon spokesperson confirmed the gift to theNew York Timesand the Associated Press.
“The secretary of defense has accepted a Boeing 747 fromQatarin accordance with all federal rules and regulations,” said Sean Parnell, chief Pentagon spokesperson, in a statement on Wednesday. “The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the president of the United States.”
The aircraft will require major modifications to meet presidential security standards, including missile defense systems, secure communications, and protection against electromagnetic pulses. Pentagon officials have acknowledged that the jet is not yet suitable for presidential use without significant upgrades.
Members of Congress havevoiced concernsthat the air force may be pressured to rush the process, potentially compromising critical safety features.
Lawmakers from both parties havealso questionedQatar’s motives, suggesting the gift could be an attempt to gain influence or that the plane might contain hidden surveillance devices.
Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator for Connecticut, previouslycondemned the giftin the context of the president’s trip to the Middle East last week.
“Why did he choose these three countries for his first major foreign trip? It’s not because these are our most important allies or the most important countries in the world,” he said of Trump’s visit to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
“It’s because these are the three countries willing to pay him off. Every single one of these countries is giving Trump money – the plane from Qatar, an investment in his cryptocurrency scam from the UAE – and they are asking for national security concessions in return.”
Murphy added: “This is the definition of corruption. Foreign governments putting money in the president’s pocket and then the US giving them national security concessions that hurt our own security.”
Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, denied any intention to sway the president, stating the gift was made with full governmental approval and not meant to influence US policy.
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“I see it as a normal thing that happens between allies,” the prime minister told the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha on Tuesday. “I don’t know why people are thinking that this is considered as bribery.”
He added that the partnership between the two countries “is a two-way relationship, it’s mutually beneficial for Qatar and for the United States”.
Trump was highly critical of Qatar during his first presidency. In June 2017, the president said Qatar “has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level”, and said he supported a blockade against the country led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
But he said on his recent trip to Qatar that he was “treated like royalty” by the leader of one of the wealthiest countries in the Arab world, and has consistently defended the acceptance of the jet.