Trump Qatar’s gift: Hegets takes Boeing Jet

A Trump The administration has officially accepted Boiling 747 Jet, which was gifted by the US government QatarPentagon stated on Wednesday.

Defense Minister Pete Hegset took a luxurious plane “in accordance with all federal rules,” Pentagon’s press secretary Sean Punel said in a CNBC statement.

The Ministry of Defense will work to make a reagent, president Donald Trump He said he wanted to use as a new Air Force, fulfilling “proper security measures and the requirements of a functional mission,” Punel said.

In a report of the US government’s intention to take the plane despite the warning of experts and the Democrats’ accusations in connection with bribery.

In the office of the oval cabinet, Trump called the “great thing” a gift and said that Qatar handed over the plane “so that they could help us.”

The comments came during a tense discussion with the President of South Africa, Kirill Ramaphos on the unreasonable requirements of Trump on “genocide” against white people in South Africa.

“I’m sorry I don’t have a plane to give you,” Ramaphos said at one moment.

Boeing spent years working on the transformation of the two 747th into the following Air Force, which were reached during the first term of Trump as president. But the project lags behind the schedule, and the planes may not be ready until the end of Trump.

Representatives of Trump administration said earlier this year that the president was disappointed with this pace and considered the alternative. “Unfortunately, Boeing was a little late,” Trump said on Wednesday.

CEO Boeing Kelly Ortberg told analysts On his last company Quarterly call for profits In April, his One Air Air Force program is revised “to provide earlier first delivery while maintaining security and quality.”

This is not clear whether a 13-year-old Qatari aircraft, which was estimated at $ 400 million, can truly offer quick fix.

Experts said the transformation of this aircraft into the Air Force could be cost taxpayers over $ 1 billion And it will take years to complete.

A Qatar’s gift also raised the swelling of anger from the Democrats and other critics, some of which condemned the exchange just as effectively a bribe US president.

“This unprecedented action is a stain as president and cannot be left unanswered,” the minority leader said the Senate Chuck Sumer, Dn.Y.

Schumer – a submitted bill that would ban any foreign aircraft from use as air force – promised to continue to hold on to Trump’s political nominees The Justice Department until the Americans “get the transparency of this shady deal.”

Even some Republicans have expressed concern about the potential risks of national security and other gift issues.

“The transaction causes me as a richness of political espionage, ethical and constitutional problems,” the senator. Susan CollinsR-Maine, said Thursday.

But Trump has repeatedly defended the reception of the plane, saying it would be “stupid” not to accept a free plane and insist that it goes to the US government “,” “Don’t me“

. Leslie Josefs submitted to this report.