Donald Trump receives a $400 million plane from Qatar.Image: AFP
May 8, 2026, 7:53 amMay 8, 2026, 7:53 am
Despite allegations of corruption, a jumbo jet from Qatar will be ready as a government aircraft in time for the 250th birthday of the United States, according to US President Donald Trump. Trump answered yes to a journalist’s question as to whether he expected the plane to arrive by July 4th – US Independence Day. In May 2025, despite sharp criticism, Trump accepted the valuable aircraft as a gift from the Gulf Emirate of Qatar, sparking a debate about possible corruption.
According to previous reports, the Boeing 747 aircraft is worth around $400 million (€340 million). The extraordinary presence of a foreign partner raises legal and ethical questions. Democrats spoke of “blatant corruption” and threatened protests in the US Parliament.
Trump, on the other hand, vehemently defended the Gulf state’s gift. For several days he argued that it would be senseless and even “stupid” to turn down such an offer for a “free, very expensive aircraft” – after all, it would save the American taxpayer money.
Qatar’s government also rejected criticism. It is a “very simple deal from government to government,” said Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to CNN. It is a normal “transaction”. He doesn’t understand the many discussions about the topic. (leo/sda/dpa)