Trump swaps Air Force One plan again — leaving Qatari jet in limbo

President Donald Trump deboards the new Air Force One, a plane gifted by Qatar, upon arrival at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Belle Fourche-Cheyenne Valleys, South Dakota, July 3, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper

The fate of President Donald Trump's hugely controversial Qatari jet is now in limbo, per NBC News, as he once again shifts his plans regarding Air Force One.

Trump set off widespread alarms over corruption and abuse of privileges last year when his administration announced that he would be accepting a new luxury Boeing 747-8 jet airplane as a gift from the government of Qatar, and would be retrofitting it to serve as his new Air Force One. Even more alarming, Trump planned to keep the aircraft personally after leaving office, making the allegations of bribery and corruption all the more severe.

Trump had attempted to downplay these concerns by claiming that the jet from Qatar would be displayed at his planned presidential library in Miami after he leaves office. Now, however, his son let slip to NBC News that this plan is no longer in place, casting doubt on the president's assurances.

"The plan seemed as clear-cut as it was unorthodox: After he leaves office, President Donald Trump said, the Qatari-gifted plane that he has used as Air Force One will be displayed at his new presidential library," the Wednesday report explained. "But that idea appears to have been scrapped. The president’s son Eric Trump told NBC News in a text message Tuesday that the plane that Qatar donated to the Defense Department last year for presidential travel isn’t the one that will go to the library complex in Miami once Trump leaves office."

“No. That’s not the plan at the moment for Miami,” the younger Trump wrote in the text.

Eric Trump previously told the Palm Beach Post that an older, retired Air Force One jet would be displayed at the presidential library, which he is involved in the planning of, and which appears set to be more akin to a luxury hotel and spa than a traditional library. Speaking further NBC, he cited other presidential libraries as examples, but did not address the discrepancy with his father's past claims.

"Many of the presidential libraries have retired AF1’s (Reagan)," he texted.

"If an older, decommissioned plane goes to Trump’s library complex, that raises a fresh question about the fate and future home of Qatar’s $400 million 'flying palace,'” the report added. "Will it remain part of the Air Force fleet once Trump leaves office in 2029, or does he have other ideas for an aircraft that he worked to procure?"

When reached for clarification, the White House did not answer NBC's questions, providing only a boilerplate statement praising Trump's leadership.

Norm Eisen, a former White House ethics adviser for Barack Obama, did not mince words when asked about the advisability of accepting such a gift from Qatar.

“I wouldn’t have even allowed the president to take a snack on Qatari Force One,” Eisen said in an interview. “I would not have allowed him to take home a bag of Qatari pretzels! I wouldn’t even have allowed him to take a Qatari eye mask and earplugs, much less an entire plane!”

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