US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has accepted a Boeing 747 that Qatar has given as a gift to President Donald Trump to use as Air Force One, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Mr Hegseth had accepted the aircraft in accordance with all federal rules and regulations.
“The Department of Defence will work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the President of the United States,” Mr Parnell said.
Mr Trump was asked about the $400 million plane on Wednesday while he was in the Oval Office with South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“They're giving the United States Air Force a jet, OK? And it's a great thing,” Mr Trump said, before insulting the reporter who had asked about the gift.
Mr Trump has drawn scrutiny for accepting such a valuable gift from a foreign country.
The luxury plane, a Boeing 747-8, would be one of the most valuable gifts ever received by the US government, and the donation has caused a backlash from Democrats and others.
The Emoluments Clause of the US Constitution, an important anti-corruption measure, prevents federal office-holders from receiving gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval.
But Mr Trump this month said it would be “stupid” to reject the offer from the Qatari ruling family to give him a jumbo jet to use as Air Force One, brushing aside ethical concerns about taking such a large donation from a foreign state.
He has defended the gift as a way to save tax dollars.
“Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for free,” Mr Trump posted on his social media site during last week's trip to the Gulf.
Mr Trump says the Qatari plane is needed as a stopgap until two new aircraft that can serve as Air Force One are completed. It will take several months or potentially more than a year to retrofit the Qatari jet to make it suitable for the President.
