Trump to start flying in $400M Qatari jet at center of corruption accusations this summer: report

A controversial $400m Qatari-donated aircraft is expected to be ready for the president to use by the summer, the United States Air Force has said.

The exact date for delivery is yet to be confirmed, but it is believed the aircraft could make its debut as part of the celebrations planned for July when the U.S. celebrates 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

“The Air Force remains committed to expediting delivery of the VC-25 bridge aircraft in support of the Presidential airlift mission, with an anticipated delivery no later than summer 2026,” the Air Force said.

Donald Trump’s acceptance of the multimillion-dollar Boeing jet from the Qatari Royal Family has fueled criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, with close allies admitting it was a “stain on the administration”, and political opponents describing it as “the definition of corruption”.

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Trump accepted the luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from Qatar as a stand-in for Air Force One in May 2025, saying only a “stupid person” would refuse the offer, and after complaining about the length of time it was taking the U.S. aircraft manufacturer to build replacements for the current fleet of two planes which have been in use since George H.W. Bush’s presidential term in the early 1990s.

The President defended his acceptance of the jumbo jet in a Truth Social post at the time, writing that it was a gift “given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME!”

The aircraft is likely the most valuable gift ever given to the U.S. by a foreign government, however, the extent of the upgrades required to make it an appropriate substitute for the existing presidential transport could be as much as $1bn.

The two Boeing VC25s – military versions of the 747 airliner – which currently make up the Air Force One fleet are highly-specialized purpose-built aircraft, which can refuel in flight, defend against missile attacks and are decked out with communications technology allowing the plane to operate as a military command center in the event of an incident such as a nuclear attack.

Nonetheless, Trump has long complained the aircraft used are outdated and cramped, while advisers have reportedly said long flights are uncomfortable because the seats don’t fully recline and the bathrooms are small.

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In 2018, Trump approved a deal with Boeing worth $3.9bn for two unused 747s originally manufactured for a Russian airline.

But Boeing has fallen years behind schedule because of technical and staffing problems, and the Air Force recently indicated the first jet now won’t be ready until mid‑2028, just months before the scheduled end of Trump’s second term.

Trump showed off a model of the new “America First 250” plane in a flurry of social media posts on Boxing Day, including a photograph of him with the red, white and dark blue design in the Oval Office.

The design bears the slogan “America First” on the fuselage with “250” towards the empennage in reference to the nation’s forthcoming anniversary.

Despite outrage at the gift and suggestions in Congress that Trump’s acceptance of the jet potentially violated the U.S. Constitution’s emoluments clause, Justice Department lawyers moved quickly to rule that taking delivery of it would break no laws.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House lawyer David Warrington said they had concluded the donation of the aircraft was “legally permissible.”

This week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt joked about the benefits of Trump’s acceptance of the Qatari jet after an Air Force One plane experienced technical difficulties.

Trump’s jet was forced to turn back to Joint Base Andrews Tuesday evening while en route to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The White House said the plane suffered a “minor electrical issue” and turned around about 30 minutes into the trip out of an “abundance of caution.”

Leavitt said to reporters that a Qatari jet sounded “much better”.

The Independent has contacted the United States Air Force for comment.