INV-002 · Money & ethics · Emoluments
Qatari 747 accepted for Air Force One
Stage 4 of 5: Legal action · Lawsuits, subpoenas, charges · Last development 6 Aug 2026
The US accepted a Boeing 747-8 from Qatar's government for presidential use. Democratic lawmakers and watchdogs say it violates the Constitution's Foreign Emoluments Clause. A FOIA lawsuit seeks the Justice Department memo that reportedly found the gift legal. ABC reported a plan to transfer the jet to Trump's library foundation by 1 Jan 2029; in Aug 2026 the White House said no final decision had been made.
- People
- Donald Trump, Pam Bondi, Government of Qatar
- Agencies
- Defense Dept, Justice Dept
- Reviewed by
- Federal court (FOIA), Congress (minority)
Money involved
- $400 million Air Force refit of the Qatari jet ("under $400M") (Taxpayer money in questioned contracts, loans and funds, estimate) [4]
Timeline
A White House official tells ABC News "no final decision has been made yet" on the jet's future after Trump's term. Eric Trump told NBC News it was "not the plan at the moment" for the jet to go to the library. [6]
Freedom of the Press Foundation, represented by American Oversight, sues DOJ in federal court in Washington, DC. DOJ estimated more than 600 days to answer. The case is pending. [2]
The New York Times reports the Pentagon moved $934M from the Sentinel program to a classified project; Air Force officials said at least some of it would go to renovating the Qatari jet. [5]
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink tells a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that leftover 2024 funds from the Sentinel ICBM program will help pay to refit the jet, at a cost he puts under $400M. Sen. Chris Murphy calls that estimate "wildly rosy"; some experts say it could exceed $1B. [4]
The Air Force confirms the US has accepted the jet. The White House calls it a gift to the Defense Department. [1]
Freedom of the Press Foundation files a FOIA request for the DOJ legal memo on the jet. [2]
ABC News, citing sources, reports the plane would be retired near the end of Trump's term and ownership transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation no later than 1 Jan 2029, with the Air Force paying transfer costs. Sources say Attorney General Bondi and White House lawyer David Warrington judged this legally permissible. [3]
Responses
- White House: The plane is a gift to the Department of Defense and will follow the legal protocols for government gifts. [1]
- White House (Karoline Leavitt): "Any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws." [3]
- Qatar (media attache Ali Al-Ansari): Said the transfer of the aircraft for "temporary use" as Air Force One was under consideration by Qatar's and the US defense ministries. [3]
- Air Force Secretary Troy Meink: Said Sentinel is "fully funded" and would not be delayed by moving the money. [4]
- Donald Trump: Said in May 2025 the plane would go "directly" to his library after he leaves office and that he would not use it. [6]
Who is acting on it
- Lawsuit Freedom of the Press Foundation, American Oversight: Sued DOJ for the memo (2025, Under way)
- Records request Freedom of the Press Foundation: Asked DOJ for its legal memo on accepting the jet (15 May 2025, What happened next)
- Hearing Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT): Called the Air Force's under-$400M refit estimate "wildly rosy" (26 Jun 2025, No reply or result recorded yet)
Sources
Cite this case
Public Trust Tracker. "Qatari 747 accepted for Air Force One" (INV-002). Last updated 6 Aug 2026. https://publictrusttracker.org/case/inv-002-qatari-747-accepted-for-air-force-one/
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