President Donald Trump is reportedly set to receive a lavish Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from Qatar’s royal family.
The nearly brand-new aircraft, originally commissioned by Qatari royals, will be temporarily used as Air Force One during Trump’s second term and then donated to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation upon the conclusion of his presidency, according to sources familiar with the arrangement who spoke to ABC News.
The aircraft, which has flown only a handful of times, is estimated to be worth upwards of $400 million and features gold-plated fixtures, private suites, and luxury lounges fit for royalty.
President Trump reportedly toured the jet in February at Palm Beach International Airport and expressed keen interest in its potential as a presidential aircraft.
This unprecedented arrangement — believed to be the most valuable foreign gift ever extended to the United States — has already triggered a meltdown on the Left.
Rasking wrote, “Trump must seek Congress’ consent to take this $300 million gift from Qatar. The Constitution is perfectly clear: no present “of any kind whatever” from a foreign state without Congressional permission. A gift you use for four years and then deposit in your library is still a gift (and a grift).”
Trump must seek Congress’ consent to take this $300 million gift from Qatar. The Constitution is perfectly clear: no present “of any kind whatever” from a foreign state without Congressional permission. A gift you use for four years and then deposit in your library is still a… https://t.co/GmTWK3pFJi
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) May 11, 2025
Of course, Raskin conveniently ignores key facts and legal precedent.
According to ABC, Trump’s legal team — including White House Counsel David Warrington and Attorney General Pam Bondi — proactively sought clearance from the Department of Defense and the DOJ to ensure the arrangement was above board. Sources familiar with their findings say both departments concluded the plan is “legally permissible.”
Bondi reportedly provided a legal memorandum to the White House last week affirming that the Department of Defense could accept the aircraft as a gift and subsequently transfer it to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation without violating the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution or federal bribery laws.
So what’s the Left really upset about?
The reality is, they’re fuming that Trump continues to outclass, outsmart, and outmaneuver them — even when it comes to presidential transport.
Let’s be clear: the Constitution (Article I, Section 9) does prohibit federal officials, including the president, from accepting gifts from foreign heads of state without Congressional consent.
But federal law — namely the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act of 1966, and amendments passed in 1977 — already provides a framework for handling such gifts.
According to the Reagan Library, citing the General Services Administration (GSA), gifts from foreign governments exceeding a set “minimal value” must be treated as property of the United States.
Recipients can only retain them by purchasing them at fair market value. Otherwise, the gift becomes part of the National Archives or GSA-managed property.
In this case, the gift is being accepted by the Department of Defense, not Trump personally, and then transferred to a non-profit presidential foundation — not his personal garage. The White House Gift Unit and appropriate legal channels are reportedly involved every step of the way.
Even the Obama Presidential Library states that foreign gifts not personally retained become federal property — exactly what’s happening here.
According to the Obama Presidential Library, “At the end of the administration, gifts accepted on behalf of the United States and not personally retained become property of the United States Government and are turned over to the General Services Administration, or to the National Archives to be managed as federal property in the Presidential Libraries.”