Trump Says His New Jet Gifted by Qatar Is ‘Much Too Big'
'It's too big,' Trump told reporters Wednesday. 'Frankly it's too big, much too big.'
He nonetheless touted the jet as 'beautiful, big' and 'magnificent,' offering no further explanation for his issue.
Measuring 250 feet long, the Boeing 747-8 indeed stretches 18 feet beyond the older Boeing 747-200B that currently serves as Air Force One, according to The Guardian. But the $400 million gift from Qatar's royal family, dubbed a 'flying palace,' would seem to suit Trump's taste for the grandiose just fine.
According to an 'aircraft specification summary' document posted online when the plane was listed for sale several years ago, it has at least three lounges, two bedrooms, nine bathrooms, five galleys and a private office. The art-deco inspired interiors feature oversized couches and recliners, wood paneling, built-in bookshelves, and big-screen TVs.
Moreover, one reason Trump apparently wanted the new plane so badly is that the size of the current Air Force One made him feel insecure when parked next to jets owned by Middle Eastern royals.
'When you land and you see Saudi Arabia, and you see UAE, and you see Qatar, and you see all this, and they have these brand new Boeing 747s mostly, and you see ours next to it, this is like a totally different plane,' Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity.
'It's much smaller,' he said. 'It's much less impressive—as impressive as it is.'
The new jet is technically a hand-me-down, having once been used by the division of Qatar Airways that serves the royal families and other top government officials. It now sits at an airport in San Antonio, Texas, where it's being reworked by the U.S. Air Force to meet presidential requirements.
While Trump boasted Wednesday that he got the plane for 'free,' Fortune reported that modifying the jet may cost taxpayers up to $1 billion. And at the end of Trump's term, the jet won't stay in service—instead it will be transferred to Trump's presidential library foundation.
Trump has come under fire from both Democrats and Republicans for accepting such a lavish gift from a foreign government. A new CNN report has contradicted Trump's 'free gift' narrative, with multiple sources claiming that Trump sought out the jet after realizing that Boeing wouldn't be able to deliver a replacement for the aging Air Force One until 2027. Two new Boeing 747-8 planes are currently being specially customized to become the next generation of Air Force One, but the project has been hit with delays.
'We're waiting too long from Boeing,' Trump said Wednesday, 'Boeing has got to get its act together.'
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