The United States and Qatar are set to finalize an agreement next week for Qatar to donate a Boeing 747-8 jet to the U.S. Air Force, which will be converted into Air Force One. The aircraft will be transferred as an unconditional gift to the Department of Defense, which will handle its maintenance and renovation. The deal, signed on July 7 by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Soud bin Abulrahaman Al-Thani, paves the way for the Air Force to begin the extensive process of remodeling the jet, expected to take years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
The jet is valued at $400 million and is planned to be displayed at President Donald Trump’s presidential library after his term ends. Trump acknowledged Qatar’s gesture, noting that the country, a frequent Boeing customer, offered the plane as a contribution while new Air Force One planes are being built. The renovation costs are classified, but reports suggest the funding may come from a secretive transfer within the Department of Defense’s budget, linked to missile modernization programs. The acceptance of the plane raises legal questions, as Article I of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the president from accepting gifts from foreign states without congressional approval. In May, Representative Ritchie Torres called for an investigation into whether the Trump administration’s acceptance of the plane complied with these rules.