US, Qatar to finalize plan to 'donate' a $400M Boeing 747 to DOD
July 27 (UPI) -- The United States government and Qatar will finalize a deal next week for Qatar to give the U.S. Air Force a jet to become Air Force One.
Qatar will send the Boeing 747-8 aircraft as an unconditional "donation" to the Department of Defense, which will then be responsible for its maintenance, the Washington Post reported.
The agreement, dated July 7, was signed by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Soud bin Abulrahaman Al-Thani.
Once the deal is finished, the Air Force can begin renovating the plane to become Air Force One. The process is projected to take years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
The jet itself is valued at $400 million and will go to President Donald Trump's presidential library after his term is over.
"They knew about it because they buy Boeings, they buy a lot of Boeings, and they knew about it, and they said, we would like to do something," Trump said. "And if we can get a 747 as a contribution to our Defense Department to use during a couple of years while they're building the other ones, I think that was a very nice gesture. Now I could be a stupid person and say, 'Oh no, we don't want a free plane.'"
The cost of the renovation is classified, but the New York Times has reported that the budget may be tucked into parts of the Department of Defense's budget. The Times cites a "mysterious" $934 million transfer from the over-budget modernization of America's aging, ground-based nuclear missiles.
Article I of the U.S. Constitution prevents the president from accepting a gift or emolument from a "King, Prince, or foreign State," without congressional consent.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-New York, said in May that he sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office pushing for an investigation into the Trump administration accepting a plane as a gift.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
a few seconds ago
- UPI
Lawmakers clash on potential Maxwell pardon but work together on bill
Lawmakers are disagreeing about whether convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell should be granted a pardon by President Donald Trump. But Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., are working together on a bill to force the president to release the files on the Jeffrey Epstein case. File photo by Rick Bajornas/UN photo handout July 27 (UPI) -- United States Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson said on Sunday that he would have "great pause" if President Donald Trump pardoned Ghislaine Maxwell, but said it was Trump's decision. But Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said that "whatever they need to do to compel [Maxwell's] testimony, as long as it's truthful, I would be in favor of," on Meet the Press Sunday. Maxwell is the convicted associate of the late child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who died in jail. Maxwell, with her attorney, met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for two days last week, which sparked the conversation around a potential pardon. She has served five years of a 20-year sentence. There have been growing calls from Democrats and Republicans for Trump to release files on the Epstein case. "If you're asking my opinion, I think 20 years was a pittance. I think she should have a life sentence at least. I mean, think of all these unspeakable crimes," Johnson told Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker. "It's hard to put into words how evil this was, and that she orchestrated it and was a big part of it, at least under the criminal sanction, I think is an unforgivable thing. So again, not my decision, but I have great pause about that, as any reasonable person would." When Welker pushed directly on whether Johnson favored a pardon, Johnson deferred to Trump. "Obviously that's a decision of the president. I won't get it in front of him. That's not my lane," he said. Welker conducted a joint interview with Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who are working together to push Trump to release the files. Khanna disagreed. "No, I don't" believe that Maxwell should be pardoned or have her sentence commuted. He said he is "concerned" about her meeting with Blanche. "Look, I agree with Congressman Massie that she should testify, but she's been indicted twice on perjury. This is why we need the files," Khanna added. Khanna and Massie are co-sponsoring a bill that would force the Trump administration to publish "all unclassified records" on Epstein. "Politics is the art of the doable," Massie said Sunday. "There's enough public pressure right now that we can get 218 votes and force this to a vote on the floor." Nearly a dozen House Republicans have signed on to back Massie's joint measure with Khanna. Some Democrats, including Reps. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., also signed on. Massie also went on ABC News' This Week, and said "Well, I think we should get a lot more than just the (birthday) book. Let's get the financial records of the estate. Where is it - follow the money, as they say up here," Massie told co-anchor Jonathan Karl. "We should look at the plea bargain. Open that up. See what was the deal? What was the deal that was cut? I think there's a lot more than just that letter." He told Karl about the bill. "It would force a full release of the files. It has the force of law," Massie said on This Week. "It's not a subpoena. It's not a 'Pretty please, would you release the files?' It's the force of law and it's got protections to redact victims' names and to prevent, you know, release of child pornography." Khanna added that Democrats' interest in the case is not new. "We have been pushing for transparency during the Biden administration, both in 2021 and 2024, the court ordered release of documents, but Donald Trump raised the stakes and he did it in a way in the campaign that was justified. He said, 'Look, when I get there, I'm going to release the files,'" Khanna said.
Forbes
a minute ago
- Forbes
Colorado Prof Cheers ‘South Park' Trump Mockery, Frustrated By Comics Not Doing Same
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 22: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump looks on during Turning Point ... More USA's AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center on December 22, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. The annual four day conference geared toward energizing and connecting conservative youth hosts some of the country's leading conservative politicians and activists. (Photo by) A Colorado professor said it was 'funny as hell' the way South Park went after President Donald Trump in its Season 27 premiere episode, yet he's frustrated that more comedians on the left aren't taking the same approach. South Park, of course, is set in the fictionalized Colorado city of South Park, which follows four elementary school friends: Cartman, Stan, Kyle and Kenny. In the new episode, called Sermon on the 'Mount, series creators and voice stars Trey Parker and Matt Stone skewered the president by, among other things, giving him small genitalia both in South Park-style animation and through a live-action AI deepfake. The episode also showed a South Park-animated version of Trump in bed with Satan and in some not-so-flattering 'White House portraits,' plus it also refers to 'Epstein's list.' The debut of the South Park Season 27 episode came only hours after Paramount Global announced a deal it made with Parker and Stone to bring South Park and 50 new episodes to its Paramount+ streaming platform, as well as the first 26 seasons of the Comedy Central series. The deal, which is for five years, was reported by several outlets to be worth $1.5 billion and comes just as Skydance finalizes its acquisition of Paramount Global. Given the classic animated Comedy Central series' history where everyone is subject to ridicule, Parker and Stone also took aim not only at Trump, but Paramount Global in its Season 27 premiere episode on Thursday. The episode not only called out the company's $16 million lawsuit settlement with Trump over a 60 Minutes segment, but it also skewered the company's decision to cancel its late-night talk show The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Colorado State University Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies Nick Marx told Wired in an article published Thursday that he was refreshed by the way South Park went after Trump following the methods the ousted talk show host and others have used criticize the president. 'It's f---ing funny as hell that they seek to sexually humiliate Trump,' Marx told Wired, noting how Parker and Stone were going after the president's 'vanity and insecurity.' However, now that Parker and Stone went there with Trump, Marx told Wired that he's frustrated by how more comedians aren't doing the same. 'I think that is the card to play … and I am frustrated that more of the comedians that I love on the left haven't leaned into that really harsh attack of him,' Marx told Wired. SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 24: (L-R) Matt Stone and Trey Parker speak onstage at Comedy Central ... More Adult Animation: "South Park", "Beavis & Butt-Head", and "Digman" Panel during 2025 Comic-Con International: San Diego at San Diego Convention Center on July 24, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by) Trey Parker Briefly Addressed The White House Criticism At San Diego Comic Con While media outlets lauded the South Park Season 27 premiere episode, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers slammed it in a statement to media outlets on Friday. 'This show hasn't been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention,' Rogers said in the statement (via Variety). 'President Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country's history – and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump's hot streak.' In his reaction by the White House during a San Diego Comic Con panel on Friday (via Deadline), Parker simply responded in a not-so-sincere manner, saying, 'We're terribly sorry.' In addition, Parker and Stone assured viewers that, in spite of the release of a promotional reel for Season 27 earlier this year, fans will still get topical episodes of South Park and none of them are pre-packaged. 'You seriously think we made a bunch of shows ahead of time and baked them for later? We're not doing any of that,' Parker exclaimed, to which Stone quipped, 'No politics. None of that s---.' South Park Season 27 is new on Comedy Central on cable and streaming on Paramount+.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
EU and US agree trade deal, with 15% tariffs for European exports to America
The United States and European Union have reached a trade deal, ending a months-long standoff between two of the world's key economic partners. After make-or-break negotiations between President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen in Scotland, the pair agreed on a blanket US tariff on all EU goods of 15%. That is half the 30% import tax rate Trump had threatened to implement starting on Friday. Trump said the 27-member bloc would open its markets to US exporters with zero per cent tariffs on certain products. Von der Leyen also hailed the deal, saying it would bring stability for both allies, who together account for almost a third of global trade. Trump has threatened tariffs against major US trade partners in a bid to reorder the global economy and trim the American trade deficit. As well as the EU, he has also struck tariff agreements with the UK, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam, although he has not achieved his goal of "90 deals in 90 days". Sunday's deal was announced after private talks between Trump and Von der Leyen at his Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire. Trump - who is on a five-day visit to Scotland - said following a brief meeting with the European Commission president: "We have reached a deal. It's a good deal for everybody." "It's going to bring us closer together," he added. Von der Leyen also hailed it as a "huge deal", after "tough negotiations". Under the agreement, Trump said the EU would boost its investment in the US by $600bn (£446bn), purchase hundreds of billions of dollars of American military equipment and spend $750bn on energy. That investment in American liquified natural gas, oil and nuclear fuels would, Von der Leyen said, help reduce European reliance on Russian power sources. "I want to thank President Trump personally for his personal commitment and his leadership to achieve this breakthrough," she said. "He is a tough negotiator, but he is also a dealmaker." The US president also said a 50% tariff he has implemented on steel and aluminium globally would stay in place. Both sides can paint this agreement as something of a victory. For the EU, the tariffs could have been worse: it is not as good as the UK's 10% tariff rate, but is the same as the 15% rate that Japan negotiated. For the US it equates to the expectation of roughly $90bn of tariff revenue into government coffers – based on last year's trade figures, plus there's hundreds of billions of dollars of investment now due to come into the US. How are trade deals actually negotiated? They made America's clothing. Now they are getting punished for it In pictures: President Trump's private visit to Scotland Trade in goods between the EU and US totalled about $975.9bn last year. Last year the US imported about $606bn in goods from the EU and exported around $370bn. That imbalance, or trade deficit, is a sticking point for Trump. He says trade relationships like this mean the US is "losing". If he had followed through on tariffs against Europe, import taxes would have been levied on products from Spanish pharmaceuticals to Italian leather, German electronics and French cheese. The EU had said it was prepared to retaliate with tariffs on US goods including car parts, Boeing planes and beef. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans his own meeting with Trump at Turnberry on Monday. Trump will be in Aberdeen on Tuesday, where his family has another golf course and is opening a third next month. The president and his sons plan to help cut the ribbon on the new fairway. Australia to lift import ban on US beef after Trump tariffs tiff
