The government of Donald Trump is about to accept a luxury plane offered by Qatar and which could replace the current presidential apparatus, reports on the American media on Sunday. The value of this Boeing 747-800, which ABC News describes as “palace in the sky”, is estimated at $ 400 million, which could make it the most expensive good offered by a foreign government in the United States.
An ad this week
According to the American channel, which quotes sources close to the file, the announcement of this XXL gift will be made during the trip of Donald Trump to Qatar this week.
The Republican President intends to use this luxury device as his new Air Force One, usual name of the American presidential planeand thus replace the two current Boeing 747-200B. Coming into service in 1990 during President George HW Bush, they are obsolete and generate significant maintenance costs. Since his return to power, Donald Trump has rags several times against these two aging devices.
Trump can keep the plane
According to American media, Donald Trump will be able to continue to use the plane after leaving his duties because his property would then be transferred from the American Air Force to the 45th and 47th American head of state.
According to ABC, the Trump administration considers that the operation is legal and that it does not provide laws against corruption or the provisions of the Constitution preventing an American government official from accepting present “of a king, a prince or a foreign state”. According to the American channel, the Ministry of Justice considers in particular that this last provision would be respected because the gift will be offered to the American Air Force and not to a particular individual. Contacted by AFP, the White House did not respond immediately.
Boeing entangled in problems
Boeing has promised to deliver two new devices to the administration, but the American aeronautical company, entangled in economic and quality of production problems, accumulates delays. Unhappy, Donald Trump had suggested in February that the new presidential plane could come “from another country”.
Such a device must be equipped with high -tech communication instruments, medical installations and a very efficient defense system. According to the Wall Street Journalthe American company L3harris has already been responsible for adapting the Qatari luxury plane to these needs.
