Former US President Donald Trump’s decision to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 from Qatar’s royal family for use as a temporary Air Force One has raised serious concerns among security officials and lawmakers. Trump announced the development on social media, stating that the Department of Defense would receive the aircraft as a “GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily.”
Bipartisan Alam Over Counterintelligence Risks
The move has attracted criticism across party lines. Republican Senator Ted Cruz warned that the jet “poses significant espionage and surveillance problems.” He added, “I’m not a fan of Qatar. I think they have a really disturbing pattern of funding theocratic lunatics who want to murder us, funding Hamas and Hezbollah. And that’s a real problem.”
Democratic Senator Jack Reed, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, echoed similar concerns. He said the jet could introduce “immense counterintelligence risks by granting a foreign nation potential access to sensitive systems and communications.”
Reed further stated, “This reckless disregard for national security and diplomatic propriety signals a dangerous willingness to barter American interests for personal gain. It is an affront to the office of the presidency and a betrayal of the trust placed in any US leader to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty.”
Luxury ‘Palace in the Sky’ Comes at a Cost
Though Trump described the plane as a generous gesture, converting it into a secure Air Force One could cost millions. The luxury aircraft, often dubbed a “palace in the sky,” is valued between $250 million and $400 million. However, its transformation for presidential use will require a full security overhaul.
“You would want to check the airplane out completely – strip it down, check for bugs, things like that, harden it to make sure nobody could hijack the electronics on the airplane,” a retired senior military official told CNN. “The ability for the president to command and control his military in the worst days, that takes a lot.”
Experts estimate the process could take months to up to two years. The aircraft must be outfitted with secure communications, anti-missile systems, and advanced cyber protections—features essential for any aircraft carrying the US president.
National Security Experts Raise Red Flags
John Cohen, former acting Homeland Security official, told ABC News that the aircraft must ensure safe, secure, and continuous communication with government leaders and military forces. “Any building or vehicle or airplane that the president is located is a high-value target for foreign intelligence services who want to gather as much information about the president,” he said.
Former CIA field operative Darrell Blocker also criticized the move, calling the Qatari plane a “counterintelligence nightmare.” “If you go back to almost anything that is given by a foreign government, there are regulations and restrictions and guidelines for ensuring that they’re not being bugged, and a plane would be an absolute nightmare to be able to confirm that it’s not. From an intelligence perspective, it’s not the brightest move,” he told ABC News.
Multiple Agencies to Oversee Conversion
The retrofitting and inspection of the jet would be led by the US Air Force, with coordination from the CIA, Secret Service, National Security Agency, and White House Communications Agency.
A former senior counterintelligence official questioned the feasibility of making the jet secure, saying, “I don’t see how you do this with an acceptable level of risk in a reasonable amount of time, if you can do it at all.”
Qatar Says Deal Still Under Review
Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s Media Attaché to the US, told Politico that the aircraft’s use as Air Force One “is currently under consideration between Qatar’s Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defence, but the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made.”
Trump Defends the Gift
Despite the concerns, Trump stood by the decision to accept the jet. “I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer. I mean, I could be a stupid person and say, ‘No, we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane.’ But it was, I thought it was a great gesture,” he said. “Only a stupid person” would reject such a gift, he added.
What About Boeing’s Air Force One Jets?
Boeing is already working on two new 747-800s to replace the current aging Air Force One fleet, which has been in service since 1990. The delivery of those aircraft is expected by 2027. A Secret Service official confirmed that these jets were “already built” when the order was placed.
As the debate unfolds, concerns remain over the national security implications and long-term diplomatic impact of accepting military-grade assets from foreign nations, particularly those under scrutiny for their geopolitical activities.
