The United States has accepted a luxury Boeing 747 jetliner from Qatar as a gift, which the Air Force will upgrade for use as the new Air Force One to transport President Donald Trump. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth accepted the jet, and the Pentagon stated it will ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered.

Legal experts have raised questions about the laws relating to gifts from foreign governments, which aim to prevent corruption and improper influence. Democrats, led by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, have sought to block the handover, with Schumer calling it "the largest bribe from a foreign government in American history" and "a stain on the office of the presidency."

Qatar has dismissed concerns about the aircraft deal, and Trump has shrugged off ethical issues, stating it would be "stupid" not to accept the 747-8 jet. When new, the jet had a $400 million list price, but a second-hand 747-8 might fetch a quarter of that, according to analysts at Cirium. Retrofitting the 13-year-old plane, which has a luxurious interior, will require significant security upgrades, communications improvements, and missile defense capabilities.

Aviation experts suggest the plane might need fighter jet escorts and could be restricted to flying inside the U.S. unless costly security upgrades are made. Democratic Senators Mazie Hirono and Tammy Duckworth estimate it could cost over $1 billion to retrofit the plane and raise dramatic security risks. Duckworth noted that the United States already has two fully operational Air Force One jets and questioned the need to retrofit the Qatari plane.

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink stated that any civilian aircraft will require significant modifications to ensure security. The Air Force has been directed to begin planning to address these modifications. The Pentagon has not disclosed the estimated cost or timeline for the retrofitting. Boeing's current effort to build two new Air Force One planes is projected to cost over $5 billion. The current Air Force One airplanes entered service in 1990. The delivery of two new 747-8s is slated for 2027, three years behind schedule. Boeing received a $3.9 billion contract in 2018 to build the two planes, but costs have since risen, with Boeing posting $2.4 billion in charges from the project.

Trump toured the Qatari Boeing plane in February at a Florida airport. CNN reported that the Trump administration first approached Qatar about acquiring a Boeing 747 for use as Air Force One, while Trump claims Qatar offered the jet as a "gift." L3 Harris Technologies has been tapped to overhaul the 747, which is currently in San Antonio, Texas, according to Senator Dick Durbin.