Report: U.S., Qatar Only Now Nearing Deal on Gifted 747

Sources say the legal transfer, supposedly completed in May, has actually been held up for months.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, July 29, 2025 at 06:30 AM ET

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Zach Vasile

The Qatari 747-8 on the runway at Palm Beach International Airport, where President Donald Trump toured it in February. [Shutterstock/Leonard Zhukovsky]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. and Qatar are nearing final agreement for Qatar to "donate" a Boeing 747-8, which will serve as the next Air Force One, despite a previous Pentagon announcement that the deal was already complete and subsequent legal delays.
Once transferred, the aircraft will undergo years of extensive and costly modifications, including thorough inspections for defects and listening devices, and the installation of top-secret communication and command systems.
The arrangement has been controversial, with critics raising concerns about potential bribery and security vulnerabilities like bugging, although the agreement text explicitly denies any corrupt practice.
Former President Trump defended accepting the gift, citing significant delays in Boeing's original schedule for the new Air Force One aircraft.

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The governments of the U.S. and Qatar are close to finalizing an agreement for the transfer of a Boeing 747-8 that will serve as the next Air Force One, The Washington Post reported, months after the U.S. Defense Department said the deal was done.

According to an official communication viewed by the newspaper, the Qatari government will send the aircraft as a “donation” to the Pentagon. Sources with knowledge of the proceedings told the Post that the Defense Department requested a small change in the text of the agreement, which will have to be reviewed by Qatari officials.