Trump is defending a plan to use a luxury Katari plane for the first Air Force

US President Donald Trump defended the White House plan to receive a luxury jumbo plane from the royal family in Qatar for use as a presidential plane in the US Air Force.

“They offer us a gift,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that he will be a “stupid person” if he does not accept it.

In a previous statement, a Qatari spokesman described the claim that the plane would be a “inaccurate” gift. He said that the transfer of a plane to “temporary use” was under discussion between the two countries.

The news comes as Trump is scheduled to visit Qatar this week as part of the first major foreign trip in his second term.

Speaking on Monday, Trump said that the United States helped Qatar “a lot over the years in terms of security and safety” and that “it is very respectful to lead the country.

“They knew this because they were buying Boinsz, buying a lot of Boeing, and they were aware of this, and they said that we would like to do something,” Trump said.

“And if we can get 747 as a contribution to our Ministry of Defense to use it within two years while building that other, I think this is a very nice gesture. Now I can be a stupid person and say, oh no, we don’t want a free plane.”

Ali Anari, the media supplement in Qatar in the United States, denied the development of such a plan, and said that the negotiations were continuing between the Ministry of Defense in Qatar and its American counterpart.

“It is still under review by the relevant legal departments, and no decision has been taken.”

Sources for the BBC partner in the United States, that the Qatari plane, which was reported, is worth about $ 400 million (303 million pounds), will not be ready for use immediately because it will need to be reinforced and disinfected by security officials.

According to CBS News, the plane will be donated to the Trump Presidential Library at the end of his term.

It is possible that the potential value of the plane and its treatment of legal and moral questions among critics will raise.

Democrats were quick to accuse Trump of violating violations of morals.

Senator Adam Chef from California quoted a section of the United States’ constitution on social media, who said that no elected official can accept “any gift … of what kind, whatever” of a foreign country leader without the approval of Congress.

The extreme right effect, Laura Lumer, a long -time ally of Trump, criticized this step. After writing on social media that it will “take a bullet” for Trump, she said: “This will really be a stigma on [administration] If this is true. “

A member of the Democratic Congress, Richie Torres, called on the government accountability office to investigate, saying: “The air palace will be a more valuable gift that a foreign government has ever given.”

On Sunday, White House press secretary Caroline Levit said, “Any gift made by a foreign government is always acceptable in full compliance with all the laws in force.

Defending negotiations with Qatar, Trump referred to the plane as a gift and said he had been submitted for use without any cost on a site on his social location on Sunday.

“So the fact that the Ministry of Defense gets a free gift, from a 747 plane to replace the 40 -year -old air force, temporarily, in a very public and transparent deal, so it disturbs the beloved Democrats to the point that they insist that we pay, and the upper dollar, for the plane.” books.

The current White House fleet includes two Boeing 747-200B aircraft for presidential use with private communication equipment and features such as offices, offices and conference hall, according to the US Air Force. The planes have been in use since 1990 and 1991.

Air Force is one of the aircraft is usually transported to other departments. According to the national archives, the Reagan Presidential Library only has an air force plane, and seven presidents flew before donating it.

Qatar is said to provide a copy of the Boeing 747-8 plane, which is a much further newer model. ABC News has been upgraded to “Flying Palace”.

Boeing was contracted to provide the White House with newer planes, but Trump complained earlier this year that the company was behind the schedule. His administration initially negotiated with Boeing for two specialized planes 747-8 during his first administration.

The plane maker said the plane would not be available until 2027 or 2028.

Trump said in February: “No, I am not happy with Boeing. It took a long time to do it, as you know, Air Force One, we have made this contract a long time ago,” Trump said in February.

“We may buy a plane or get a plane, or something like this.”

Trump had a positive diplomatic relationship with Qatar during his first term, which included a declaration in 2019 that the country would buy a great purchase of American aircraft.

Qatar has also been presented by special planes as gifts to other countries, such as a luxury plane given to Turkey in 2018.