International Desk:
Qatar’s luxury jet: Trump continues
Qatar did not plan to gift US President Donald Trump a luxury aircraft, but the Trump administration contacted Qatar to buy one to carry the president.
It has been reported that Trump received a luxury aircraft from Qatar before his Middle East visit. The aircraft was advertised as a ‘gift’. But Qatar has not yet made any official decision on the matter, at least four sources told CNN.
Citing sources, CNN’s report said that the United States initially planned to lease the aircraft. Later, the Qatari government initially said that it could use the aircraft without any charge. The matter is still in the discussion stage, and no final decision has been made. But before that, Donald Trump advertised it as a ‘gift from Qatar’.
Trump has been working to replace Air Force One since taking office as president for the second time in January this year. Because the state aircraft that carries the president is 35 years old. President George H.W. Bush (Senior Bush) also used it.
President Trump contacted Boeing last January for a new plane. But Boeing said it would not be able to deliver a new presidential plane for the next two years. Trump wanted to quickly complete the process of replacing Air Force One. So the search for alternatives began.
Qatar’s luxury jet: Trump continues
Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, was tasked with compiling a list of potential aircraft for the Air Force One fleet. At that time, Boeing said that they could provide the Pentagon with a list of their clients around the world who had aircraft that could become Air Force One. Only eight aircraft could be found around the world that could carry the US president. That list included the much-discussed jumbo jet of Qatar. The country’s royal family once used this aircraft. Later, Witkoff contacted the Qataris and expressed interest in buying the jet.
Four sources familiar with the discussions told CNN that the purchase of the aircraft is still under discussion between lawyers from both countries. “The matter has been in the hands of lawyers since the US first expressed interest in buying the aircraft. No decision has been made yet,” a source familiar with the discussions told CNN.
On Monday, White House press secretary Carolyn Levitt also called the transfer of the aircraft a “donation to the country.” She said, “The Qatari royal family has offered to donate the aircraft to the US Air Force, and it will be accepted in accordance with the legal and ethical process.”
CNN reached out to Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani about the matter. Thani said, “This is not a matter of one person, whether it is from the US or Qatar. This is a matter for the two governments to discuss. The possibility of transferring the 747-8 jumbo jet has been discussed between the Qatari Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense through an official process. The legal review is still ongoing.’
He added, ‘At the end of the day, if the US has a need and if we can help meet it, we will not hesitate to cooperate. And if this process is deemed illegal, then of course the offer will be withdrawn.’
Both Washington and Doha have said that if the aircraft is transferred, it will be through a legal agreement between the Qatari Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense.
