The top Democrat senator, Chuck Schumer, is devising a plan to prevent President Donald Trump from accepting a controversial Boeing 747-8 gift from the Qatar government.
On May 19, 2025, Senator Schumer said he would introduce a bill that would “prohibit any foreign aircraft from being used” as Air Force One, the US Presidential plane.
Senator Schumer argues that retrofitting the Boeing 747-8 would “cost billions” and could “never even truly eliminate all catastrophic risks”.
“It’ll prohibit DoD [Department of Defense] from using funds to procure or modify foreign aircraft for presidential flights,” wrote Senator Schumer on social media.
In a video announcing he would introduce legislation to stop the aircraft exchange, Senator Schumer described the gift as a “bribe”.
Trump taking this Qatari plane is a national security threat and a bribe.
And I’m introducing legislation to stop the Defense Department from spending a single penny on it. pic.twitter.com/SewFsBqog8
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 20, 2025
Following delivery delays of two new Air Force One jets by Boeing, President Trump looked at alternative options to temporarily bridge the gap until the new aircraft arrived.
The Qatar government stepped in to offer the US President a $400 million Boeing 747, described as a “palace in the sky” but critics have said that the gift transaction reeks of corruption.
Senator Schumer previously described the potential agreement as “not just naked corruption” but “also a grave national security threat”.
President Trump has defended the opportunity to receive a free 747-8 as a “gift” that would be “stupid” to turn down.
“So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane. Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA,” wrote President Trump on May 12, 2025.
According to news website Axios, the value of the 747 gift is 100 times more than every other presidential present from a foreign country combined since 2001.
Some Republican senators have also voiced concern over Qatar gifting President Trump the highly valuable aircraft.
On May 20, 2025, Reuters reported that Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said the offer of the plane was a “normal thing that happens between allies”.
