US Media: "Trump Receives Boeing 747-8 as a Gift"
"To Be Used as Presidential Jet, Then Donated to Trump Library"
Qatar Says "Discussions Underway," Opposition Calls It "Blatant Corruption"
It has been reported that President Donald Trump of the United States has received a Boeing 747-8 aircraft as a gift from the Qatari royal family and plans to use it as his presidential aircraft. This aircraft, known as the "Queen of the Skies," is valued at $400 million (approximately 559.8 billion KRW). According to Yonhap News on May 11 (local time), citing sources such as the New York Times (NYT), "The announcement of Qatar's donation of the aircraft to President Trump is expected to be made within a few days."
On February 15th, former President Trump toured the interior of a 13-year-old Boeing aircraft at an airport in Florida, USA. Photo by AP Yonhap News
According to the NYT, the Trump administration plans to modify the aircraft for use as the presidential aircraft, "Air Force One," and intends to donate it to the Trump Presidential Library after his term ends. In this case, President Trump would be able to use it privately after leaving office. Previously, former President Ronald Reagan transferred a retired presidential aircraft to the Reagan Library upon his retirement; however, it is now on display at the library and has not been used privately.
President Trump's personal jet, known as "Trump Force One," is a Boeing 757 model that began flying in the early 1990s. President Trump purchased this aircraft secondhand in 2011 and has been using it since then. Currently, the U.S. presidential aircraft is a Boeing 747 model that has been in operation for over 30 years, but it reportedly requires frequent maintenance. During Trump's first term, the administration signed a contract with Boeing to deliver two Boeing 747-8 aircraft as presidential planes, but delivery from Boeing has been delayed. One aircraft is scheduled for delivery in 2027, and the other in 2028.
President Trump's term runs until January 2029, so even if the new aircraft is delivered on time, he would be able to use it only for a short period. There is also a possibility that the delivery could be further delayed, in which case he may not be able to use it at all. For this reason, it was reported that on February 15, shortly after his inauguration, President Trump toured the interior of a Boeing 747-8 aircraft at an airport in Florida, showing interest in the next presidential aircraft.
The aircraft President Trump is reportedly set to receive as a gift is 12 to 13 years old and was previously owned by the Qatari royal family but is currently operated by a private company. Initially, the Qatari side considered donating the aircraft to the Trump Library and allowing President Trump to use it during his term; however, concerns were raised about potential violations of relevant laws.
The NYT pointed out that "this is one of the most expensive gifts ever received by the U.S. government from a foreign country." Immediately, the opposition Democratic Party and civic groups raised ethical concerns, criticizing the move for potential conflicts of interest between public duties and private business. Democratic Senator Adam Schiff stated on his social media, "This is a clear violation of the foreign emoluments clause" and called it "blatant corruption." In response, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said, "Gifts from foreign countries are always accepted in full compliance with applicable laws."
However, a spokesperson for the Qatari government stated, "The possibility of transferring the aircraft for use as Air Force One is being discussed between Qatar and the U.S. Department of Defense, but no (final) decision has been made yet," adding, "The matter is currently under review by the respective legal departments."
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