this post was submitted on 11 May 2025
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In what may be the most valuable gift ever extended to the United States from a foreign government, the Trump administration is preparing to accept a super luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from the royal family of Qatar.

It is to be available for use by Donald Trump as the new Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office, at which time ownership of the plane will be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation, sources familiar with the proposed arrangement told ABC News.

The gift is expected to be announced next week, when Trump visits Qatar on the first foreign trip of his second term, according to sources familiar with the plans.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 11 hours ago

More truthful title:
Fat Orange Imbecile Openly Accepts Bribe. Government Secrets Will Be Sent Back For Years To Come.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 hours ago

Are they just ripping off the left behind series? Literally what the Antichrist does in those books

[–] [email protected] 28 points 19 hours ago (6 children)

Is there anywhere I can bet on the likelihood they built it as a Trojan horse that will just fall out of the sky when they’re done with him?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 hours ago

Yeah, the Qataris are famous for their world leadership in avionics.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 14 hours ago

I thought that came standard on Boeing.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 16 hours ago

Please please please please PLEASE!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 18 hours ago

I would say 'shhhhhh just in case thats it, dont spoil it', but his admin cant read anyways.

[–] theotherbelow 3 points 17 hours ago

Lol I had the same idea, good to hear I'm not the only werido that can see the risk.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 18 hours ago

Bad things happen to good people. I wouldn't bet on this trend changing

[–] [email protected] 39 points 20 hours ago (6 children)

By law aren't gifts over a certain value supposed to become the property of the American people?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 hours ago

According to the constitution, presidents are forbidden to accept gifts from foreign states. The practice has been that small gifts are accepted but belong to the nation.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Law has left the room a while ago.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 18 hours ago

Im pretty sure it was deported.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 19 hours ago

You think the law is still at play over there?

[–] [email protected] 18 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Because of SCOTUS and their dumbass rulings, impeachment is the only remedy.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 19 hours ago

“nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don’t know.”

  • Donald trump
[–] [email protected] 8 points 19 hours ago

In the announcement, Pam Bondi sent a document confirming the "legitimacy" of accepting this gift, that it does not break anti-bribery policies.

For what it's worth

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[–] [email protected] 35 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Just imagine how much spyware you can cram into that thing

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Yeah, it is in no way secure.

You could fully disassemble it and resemble it and you still couldn't be totally sure it's free of bugs and taps. Accepting this gift is a truly enormous security breach.

[–] [email protected] 113 points 1 day ago (7 children)

The aircraft normally used by the President and other high officials are more than some luxury vehicle. So is this coming with all the features of the existing 747s used, and will it be disassembled before use to make sure it's not bugged?

Also, quid pro quo and all that. What's the catch?

[–] [email protected] 112 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Well, for one thing, it's going to be bugged to fucking shit. Second, Qatar gets boasting rights. Third, trump is the most transactional, selfish cunt ever to have lived, I guarantee you he'll do Qatar favors that include some kind of oil deal bullshit.

[–] [email protected] 54 points 1 day ago

Trump is the bug. It could be squeaky clean because they just need to ask him for hot goss and he’ll dish like a lunch lady.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 day ago (2 children)

He doesn't attend daily briefings, why would he care about the operational capabilities of his kingly litter?

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (4 children)

My first thought seeing this news was "Why would Trump get such a plane for other future Presidents?".

Firstly, Trump being Trump would find a way to make the plane personally his, even placing some of those special Rolls Royce-made silent engines he likes so much. Secondly he already has his own Trump Force 1 to compete with the current AF1 - would he really be able to see another president flying around on his lux-plane while he has to return to the "poor-billionaire's" TF1?

Smells like yet another small sign that he isn't really planning on leaving. Seems like he's just getting his own upgraded Trump Force 1 under the guise of presidency, using taxpayer money, to serve him until he dies - not until the end of the term - and spend a heck-a-ton more taxpayer money in operating costs to fund his weekly golf trips.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 hours ago

There is no way he gives up the plane after his presidency. He is saying he will now to stop anyone from being able to argue that there is any corruption.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 hours ago

My first thought seeing this ~~news~~ headline without reading the article under it was [...]

Ftfy

[–] [email protected] 5 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago) (1 children)

The article summary in the post explains that it will be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation just before he leaves office. So it won't be available for future presidents.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 hours ago

That foundation sounds like a real-world oxymoron.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 14 hours ago

The answer to these questions and more can be yours by reading the article.

[–] [email protected] 67 points 1 day ago (1 children)

If Trump gets to keep it after his presidency, it's not a gift to the United States.

[–] [email protected] 39 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It goes to his presidential library for the use of its staff after his presidency. He won't technically own it, but he'll be able to use its value indirectly. It's definitely flouting bribery laws and daring anyone to do something about it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

What would keep a future president from renaming it to the Book Closet of Mexico?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 hours ago

More important things to do, a lack of pettiness, dignity and a good sense of discretion, to name a few. I hope they make an exception for this one thing, though.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

I bet Israel has that jet bugged and ready to explode lol

[–] [email protected] 6 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

I'd bet money there was a bid to pay to get your country's but put in this plane

[–] [email protected] 4 points 20 hours ago
[–] [email protected] 54 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Hope it’s got the Boeing guarantee

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 day ago

In the distant future: "Why does everyone celebrate an aircraft door plug?"

[–] [email protected] 21 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago) (5 children)

The plane will initially be transferred to the United States Air Force, which will modify the 13-year-old aircraft to meet the U.S. military specifications required for any aircraft used to transport the president of the United States, multiple sources familiar with the proposed arrangement said.

Setting aside intelligence and influence concerns mentioned by others in the thread already, I can't really see how this is faster than modifying planes already in the US. I mean, it's a plane with luxury stuff. Surely the issue isn't putting luxury stuff in the thing, but putting security stuff in.

Hell, if the USAF has to start over from scratch, I'd think that it'd take longer, if anything.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5156686-trump-boeing-air-force-one-delays-frustration/

Trump vents frustration with Boeing over Air Force One delays

President Trump is airing grievances with Boeing over delays in delivering new Air Force One jets, telling Republican governors on Thursday he was “getting a little tired” of the hold up.

“I bought a plane. It’s really two planes, Air Force One. Now if Boeing would build the damn thing it would be nice, too. We don’t build like we used to. We don’t build too fast,” Trump said at a reception for the Republican Governors Association.

Like, I assume that time is Trump's beef here.

EDIT:

Yeah, this seems to agree with that:

https://www.popsci.com/technology/why-does-air-force-one-take-so-long-to-replace/

Why a private plane isn’t a viable option

President Trump, realizing the pair of new 747-8 planes might not be completed by the time he leaves office, has suggested sidestepping Boeing altogether and modifying a used private jet instead. The suggestion to sidestep Boeing entirely and “convert” a used aircraft could face several challenges, experts said. The extensive modifications required to make such an aircraft capable of functioning as the president’s plane would essentially mean starting from scratch—a process Boeing has already been working through for years. As a result, a converted used jet could potentially take even longer to become airworthy than the two 747-8 models currently in production.

“Honestly, at this point, any changes you make are likely to make it take longer and cost more even if you’re reducing capabilities,” Harrison said. 

“It [a converted plane] just wouldn’t be anywhere near as capable as the Air Force Ones we have today,” Aboulafia added.

Not to mention that I kind of wonder what it is that makes the existing, older, aircraft such a problem. Whatever it is has to be something that the Qatari royal plane does. Maybe the existing ones don't have some sort of fancy convenience? It used to be the norm for leaders to travel on warships, and I suspect that considerably more tradeoffs were made there.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Oh, Cheeto wants it built too fast?

I'd love for him to travel on a Boeing airplane that was built too fast on top of being a Boeing. It would solve so much shit in this world if he did

[–] [email protected] 6 points 20 hours ago

He should travel with his entire cabinet at all times, too.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 17 hours ago

“I bought a plane. It’s really two planes, Air Force One. Now if Boeing would build the damn thing it would be nice, too. We don’t build like we used to. We don’t build too fast,”

The possible future where Air Force One is Boeing quality with Qatari design and its critical security features are unnecessarily retrofitted at "move fast and break things" speed... and the only people who will ever use it are Trump's camp-de-shit...

I like it. It's a nice future.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

LOL, in New York Times headline, "and Post-Presidency Travel"

that dude seems to plan to try to stay by any means necessary until he shuffles off this mortal coil.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

He’s too old there’s no way they’d risk it. Even if it’s just a ceremonial election for his chosen candidate which he retains influence over.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 19 hours ago

Putin style.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 21 hours ago

Imagine, the day he dies, Elon rules out Trump AI designed to continue his legacy forever, term limits won’t matter because it’s not a person.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'd like to see a game show called "Bribe or Gift?" In which politicians compete for campaign funding.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Anything at all given to a politician should under any circumstances should be considered to be a bribe.

Yes anything.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I would bet everything I'm worth that there are surveillance devices in that jet

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