Pentagon Says It Has Taken Possession of 747 Jet From Qatar
Decision to accept a donated commercial aircraft, which Trump has said will serve as Air Force One, has raised security and ethics questions
Key Points
- The Pentagon accepted Qatar’s $400 million airliner donation for Air Force One.
- The Defense Department will ensure security and mission readiness for the aircraft.
- The Air Force will modify the Boeing 747, but details are classified.
The Pentagon said Wednesday that it had formally accepted a donated $400 million luxury airliner from Qatar that President Trump has said will serve as Air Force One.
“The secretary of defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said. “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.”
The Air Force said it was preparing to modify the aircraft but wouldn’t provide further details about the plane, citing that information related to the aircraft was classified.