Whatever happened to: The Qatar Air Force One jet

The U.S. accepted a luxury Boeing Jet as a gift from Qatar in May, with plans to retrofit it to become the next Air Force One. The Air Force says the effort will cost less than $400 million for the updates. Other estimates show it could cost more than $1 billion. 

Meanwhile, a separate deal with Boeing to produce two new 747-8s has faced significant delays and cost the company more than $1 billion.

“They’re getting a new Air Force One. I didn’t want to do it because if I did it they’d say, ‘Why are you doing that?’” President Donald Trump said in January 2016. “I don’t mind getting that plane, but, you know, it does seem like an awful lot of money, doesn’t it?”

The Air Force first announced the plan to develop the 747-8s in 2015, when President Barack Obama was in office.

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“The president doesn’t need a new plane right now. But eight years from now, whoever is president, they are likely to need a new plane,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said in October 2015.

Nearly ten years later, the Air Force One project has yet to deliver, prompting President Trump to look for other options.

“I’m not happy with Boeing. It takes them a long time to do, you know, Air Force One,” President Trump said in February. “I could buy one from another country, perhaps. Or get one from another country.”

The Air Force and Boeing now say their jets could fly by 2027. A White House report estimates the debut might not take place until 2029. President Trump told reporters July 29 the retrofitted Qatar Jet could be in the air by February. 

“I think it’s another example of them pulling us so closely to them that our interests become aligned, even if they’re not,” Free Press staff writer Jay Solomon said.

According to an investigation by Solomon and fellow Free Press writer Frannie Bock, Qatar has spent almost $100 billion to establish its influence in the U.S. Qatari officials have funneled money into Ivy League universities to build campuses in Doha, newsrooms like Al Jazeera and corporations to establish offices in Qatar. Doha has also made an effort to invite congressional delegations to visit, while paying lobbyists to align with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. President Trump even made a stop in the country as part of the first major foreign trip of his second term.

“Their national security apparatus is fused now into the United States. They’re surrounded by Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, countries they’re either kind of frenemies with or not friends at all,” Solomon said.

Qatar’s ties to Iran and extremist groups lead many of its neighbors to sever diplomatic relations for several years.

“The nation of Qatar, unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level,” President Trump said in June 2017.

The blockade ended with little impact on Qatar’s economy and without Doha meeting the demands to end its ties to terror groups.

“They sort of use their relationship with the United States as a way to project what is a very aggressive foreign policy. Which there are a lot of questions, is that foreign policy really aligned with the U.S.?”

Qatar allowed the Taliban to open a political office in Doha in 2013 while maintaining close relations with the U.S. The Qataris have also worked to negotiate peace between Israel and Hamas.

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“It’s really unfair accusations for [saying] Qatar’s trying to buy influence. Throughout the last 25 years or 30 years, you will see, you’ll find Qatar always by the side of the U.S. in many areas and many things,” Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said.

Qatar said it is proud of its relationships with U.S. entities and its effort to mediate conflicts, but some question the country’s intentions.

“I stew over this, to be honest. A lot of people do. I think they have gotten some of the hostages. If you look at it on a positive note, they helped Americans get out of Afghanistan. They helped negotiate the end of our role in Afghanistan. You could look at that and say, ‘Wow, that’s positive,'” Solomon said. “But I do think they empower groups in a lot instances that are not our friends.”

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle express unease over Qatar’s controversial record on human rights and terror links.

“Qatar is not, in my opinion, a great ally,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said in May.

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., said at a press conference with other Democrats that “there is no such thing as a free palace in the sky.” And Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., noted “the Trojan Horse was a gift.”

The White House deflected concerns. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNN, “The French gave us the Statue of Liberty. The British gave us the Resolute Desk.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced a hold on approving all Justice Department nominees until the White house gave more details about the jet deal.

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“This just isn’t naked corruption. It’s also a national security threat,” Schumer said on the Senate Floor in May.

Democrats have now delayed more than 140 judicial nominees.

“When it comes to gifts, we have ethics rules. We have them in the Senate. We’ve got them in the White House. Those rules need to be followed. And, ultimately, what we want is to make sure that we’ve got the president traveling in a way that’s as safe as possible,” Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., said.

A memo reviewed by ABC News stated the donation of the jet is unconditional and that “the aircraft may be used or disposed by the DOD in its sole discretion.”

U.S. laws generally prohibit the acceptance of large foreign gifts by government employees, including the president. However, the statute can be interpreted to show gifts can be put into official government use with the agency’s approval.

“This plane’s not for me. This goes to the United States Air Force. For whoever is president. At some point, it’ll be like Ronald Reagan. It will be decommissioned. You know, it’s 11 years old,” President Trump said on “Special Report” during his trip to the Middle East. 

“It would be decommissioned because they won’t want it. Plus, they’ll have the other two planes by that time.”

Legal analysis also shows an individual may transfer large gifts to a government agency for sale or donation. President Trump says the jet would be donated to his presidential library after he leaves office.

“When they give you a putt, you pick it up, and you walk to the next hole. And you say, ‘Thank you very much,'” President Trump said to questions over the ethics of the gift.

“There seems to be conflicts of interest all over the place. When it comes to Qatar and the highest wrongs of the administration,” Solomon said. “Are their decisions on these types of issues gonna be in any way conflicted or influenced by the fact that they’re taking major gifts from a government that’s the main sponsor of the Muslim Brotherhood.”