Former President Donald Trump is reportedly set to receive a high-end Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from Qatar's royal family during an upcoming visit to the Middle East, according to ABC News. U.S. officials are considering outfitting the aircraft for presidential use, potentially serving as an interim Air Force One.
Trump is expected to use the aircraft throughout the remainder of his second term, with plans to transfer ownership to his future presidential library foundation upon leaving office in January 2029.
The jet's donation is likely to be formally announced during Trump’s scheduled visit to Qatar, which is part of a broader diplomatic trip that includes stops in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — his first major overseas tour of this term.
Anticipating legal and ethical scrutiny, administration officials have reportedly prepared a legal justification, citing that accepting the plane would not violate the U.S. Constitution’s Emoluments Clause. This clause prohibits federal officials from accepting gifts or titles from foreign states without congressional approval.
The Air Force intends to equip the Qatari jet with secure communications and classified systems, though it will still lack many of the advanced features of the current Air Force One fleet, such as radiation shielding and antimissile defenses.
A former U.S. official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that while the Qatari aircraft can be upgraded with certain technologies, it won't match the capabilities of the existing VC-25A planes or the new VC-25B models under development. Notably, neither the donated jet nor the VC-25B will have midair refueling capability — a feature present in the current presidential aircraft.
Trump’s current Air Force One planes are over three decades old, and Boeing is under contract to deliver two upgraded aircraft by 2027 and 2028, though the project has suffered delays and financial losses.
ABC News noted that the Qatari jet resembles a 13-year-old Boeing model that Trump previously toured while in Florida.
Meanwhile, Trump’s family business continues to expand its footprint in the Middle East. The Trump Organization, led by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, recently signed a deal to develop a luxury golf resort in Qatar with Qatari Diar, a firm backed by the nation’s sovereign wealth fund.
Critics have raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest between Trump’s political activities and his family's private business dealings. However, administration officials argue that Trump’s assets are held in a trust managed by his children and point to an ethics policy that bars the Trump Organization from making deals directly with foreign governments. The policy does still allow deals with foreign private companies, unlike during Trump’s first term when broader restrictions were in place.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed any suggestion that the trip is motivated by personal or business interests, calling such claims “ridiculous.”