The US Constitution prohibits government officials from accepting gifts “from any King, Prince or foreign State”, in a section known as the Emoluments Clause.
Trump responded angrily when asked if he would use the jet in a personal capacity after he left the presidency.
“You should be embarrassed asking that question,” Trump told a reporter.
“They’re giving us a free jet. I could say, ‘no, no, no, I want to pay you US$1 billion ($1.7b) or US$400 million ($683m)’, or whatever it is. Or I could say, ‘thank you very much’.”
Trump said that instead it would be donated to his future presidential library as an exhibit, in the same way that Ronald Reagan’s library holds a former Air Force One jet.
‘Utmost transparency’
Trump and the White House also claim the Qatari jet would be a gift to the US Department of Defence, which would also get around constitutional concerns.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted the White House would act with “utmost transparency”.
“The Qatari government has graciously offered to donate a plane to the Department of Defence. The legal details of that are still being worked out,” Leavitt told Fox News.
“But of course, any donation to this government is always done in full compliance with the law, and we commit ourselves to the utmost transparency, and we will continue to do that.”
Asked if there were concerns that Qatar would want something in return, Leavitt replied: “Absolutely not, because they know President Trump and they know he only works with the interests of the American public in mind”.
Qatar swiftly sought to downplay the uproar, saying the jet would not be a gift.
“The possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under consideration between Qatar’s Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defence,” said Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s media attache to Washington.
Democrats, however, immediately slammed the plan.
“Any president who accepts this kind of gift, valued at US$400 million, from a foreign government creates a clear conflict of interest,” said a statement by four members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The statement by Senators Cory Booker, Brian Schatz, Chris Coons and Chris Murphy said it also “raises serious national security questions, invites foreign influence, and undermines public trust in our government”.
Trump has long been unhappy with the current Air Force One jets – two highly customised Boeing 747-200B series aircraft that entered service in 1990 under President George H.W. Bush.
Earlier this year Trump said his administration was “looking at alternatives” to Boeing following delays in the delivery of two new 747-8 aircraft.
Trump also has a model of the future Air Force One in his handpicked red, white and blue colours on the coffee table in the Oval Office, in front of where he sits with foreign leaders.
Trump already has his own private jet branded “Trump Force One” which he used to fly around the United States during the 2024 election campaign.
-Agence France-Presse
