The Defense Department formally accepted a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from Qatar to temporarily serve as the new Air Force One for U.S. President Donald Trump, one of the biggest foreign gifts ever given to the U.S. government.
The move fulfills Trump’s desire for a new presidential aircraft, after years of delays in the U.S. government’s contract with the aerospace giant for new planes to serve that role. Still, the gift raises ethical and security concerns, with politicians from both parties questioning the president’s decision.
"The Secretary of Defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement. "The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the President of the United States.”
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.