US President Donald Trump was recently gifted a luxury jet as a "gift" from the Qatari royal family. Reports now suggest that the president himself asked for it.
Trump’s administration specifically sought out the luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from Qatar’s government to replace Air Force One, sources told CNN.
A senior White House official said that Trump assigned Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to track down a replacement for Air Force One, after he learned that Boeing informed the Pentagon that it would not be able to deliver the replacements for the aging presidential jets for another two years.
The Air Force started finding options and Qatar was on the list. Boeing helped the US defence officials with a list of planes options that could be used in the meantime.
Following this, Witkoff contacted them, according to the sources. “Qatar was one of the clients,” the second source told CNN. The source added that the Pentagon “offered to buy the plane” and that Doha said it was willing to sell.
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The discussions to get the jet began after White House gave a green signal. According to the third source, the initial talks were about leasing the plane instead of buying it.
“The matter is still with the legal teams and no decision has been made at all,” the second source said.
Trump's claims Qatar gifted 'luxury jet' to defence
Trump said that the Defense Department is getting a gift "free of cost", dismissing ethical concerns about his plan to accept an airplane as a gift from the Qatari royal family.
Calling it a "very public and transparent transaction", Trump said that a 747 aircraft will "replace the 40-year-old Air Force One, temporarily."
Last week, Trump told Fox News, “Some people say, ‘Oh, you shouldn’t accept gifts for the country.’ My attitude is, why wouldn’t I accept the gift? We’re giving to everybody else."
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday said the plane was a “donation to our country".
She added that the Qatar government and royal family “has offered to donate this plane to the United States Air Force, where that donation will be accepted according to all legal and ethical obligations.”
