US Taxpayers Will Have To Pay Big Bucks For Trump's 'Free' $400 Million Plane

The Qatari royal family recently offered President Trump, and the U.S. Government, a Boeing 747 that was once part of the official Amiri Flight fleet before its transfer out of government service. Fleet data from ch-aviation confirms the jet used to serve exclusively as a VIP transport for members of the House of Thani (the ruling family of Qatar). The jet is priced at around $400 million, and the idea is to let it act as a stand-in for Air Force One. 

If the "gift" is to become the president's official jet, a simple paint job won't cut it. The plane must meet the same strict standards as the current fleet, which already cost $3.9 billion to build. Retrofitting a used jet — especially one that's flown under another government — means tearing it down for deep security checks, hunting for hidden spy gear, and then rebuilding everything. Once that's all added in, the final bill could increase beyond $1 billion, all on taxpayers' tab.

Reuters reports that retrofitting this jet could exceed the $5 billion Boeing price tag for two brand-new Air Force One planes, and this is asides the $3.2 billion already earmarked for presidential travel and security for Fiscal Year 2025, according to the Department of Homeland Security. This is not the first controversy igniting Trump's second term in office. Earlier in March, Trump's 25% tariffs increased the prices of some American cars.

On the White House's own Air Force One overview, it is made clear that "Air Force One" is simply the call sign for any USAF aircraft carrying the president. The White House fact sheet further describes these as "highly modified Boeing 747-200Bs operated by the United States Air Force as Air Force One." These two birds entered service in August 1990, meaning they've been in presidential duty for 35 years. As of May 2025, both VC-25A aircraft (the two 747-200Bs) remain in active service. They're slated to be retired by December 31, 2025, once their VC-25B replacements arrive and complete testing.

However, in a May 2025 briefing, Boeing told the Air Force it could deliver the two new VC-25B (747-8) replacements by 2027, if certain requirements are relaxed, acknowledging original 2024 targets have slipped to 2028 or even 2029 due to supply-chain and certification delays. With two 35-year-old VC-25As in service and VC-25Bs delayed, the Qatari royal family's 2012-built 747-8 (P4-HBJ) was floated as a stopgap "interim Air Force One" ; an offer under Pentagon review. Reuters reports that Trump acknowledged the jet would go to his presidential library after he leaves office.

Security experts say the so-called "gift" could saddle taxpayers with massive bills. In Washington, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) warned, "This isn't really a gift. You'd basically have to tear the plane down to the studs and rebuild it to meet all the survivability, security and communications requirements of Air Force One. It's a massive undertaking — and an unfunded one at that," via Politico. Furthermore, ABC News has it that Trump's acceptance of the gift and the required retrofit risks violating the emolument clause in the U.S. Constitution and other federal regulations. The U.S. Constitution's "Emoluments Clause" (Article I, Section 9, Clause 8) implies the president can't take any gift, payment, or "emolument" from a foreign government without Congress's say-so. 

Besides, Federal ethics regulations strictly forbid senior officials from personally profiting off of taxpayer-funded benefits they didn't legitimately earn. According to federal ethics code 5 C.F.R. § 2635.702, executive branch employees can't use their positions to benefit themselves or anyone else. No side favors. No gray areas. It goes further. Another section, 5 C.F.R. § 2635.204, says they can't accept gifts tied to their role — especially not from people or groups considered "prohibited sources." In summary, this "free" jet could actually trigger constitutional and regulatory red flags.