Washington: US President Donald Trump has taken his first flight on the Boeing 747 given by Qatar’s royal family. He said this luxury aircraft is ” the greatest commercial plane ever built”. Trump defended the decision to accept this high-profile gift.
The upgraded aircraft landed at Joint Base Andrews after carrying Trump back from North Dakota. He attended events linked to the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library there.
Trump praised the aircraft’s design, performance and craftsmanship when speaking to reporters after the flight.
“This will be the flight of what I think is maybe the greatest commercial plane ever built “, Trump said. Boeing described it as the aircraft of its kind.
Qatar donated the aircraft, worth around $400 million, without conditions. However, its acceptance sparked debate in Washington. Critics questioned the ethical and national security implications of receiving such an expensive gift from a foreign ally.
Trump dismissed the criticism. He said the existing Air Force One fleet had become outdated.
“Our Air Force One was 35 or 36 years old. It didn’t look right for our country when parked next to an aircraft,” he said. “The country should be proud of this. It’s beautiful.”
The president also argued that buying an aircraft through conventional government procurement would have been significantly more expensive.
“This was a gift from a country that has treated us well and is an ally in the Middle East “, Trump said, referring to Qatar.
He added that Boeing told him no aircraft currently existed.
“Frankly, we couldn’t build a plane like this. We wouldn’t be willing to spend the kind of money necessary. They spent a dollar,” Trump said.
The Boeing 747 has a white, red and navy-blue exterior. It has upgraded interiors, making it resemble Trump’s aircraft while serving as an interim presidential plane. We expect the aircraft acceptance to remain under scrutiny. Lawmakers and ethics experts will continue to debate whether such a high-value gift from a government is appropriate. This is despite the strategic ties between the United States and Qatar.
