Hegseth Signs Deal for Qatar’s ‘Gifted’ Boeing Jet Amid Scrutiny
The United States is reportedly close to finalizing a controversial agreement with Qatar for a Boeing jet intended to serve as a future Air Force One an aircraft described by both governments as an “unconditional donation.” The deal, first outlined in July, was signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Qatari Defense Minister Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, according to several media reports.
The agreement designates the 13-year-old Boeing aircraft, previously used by Qatar’s royal family, as a “bona fide gift” to the U.S. Department of Defense. According to documents reviewed by CNN, the U.S. will not pay Qatar any amount for the transfer. The memorandum explicitly states the donation is made “in good faith and in the spirit of cooperation and mutual support,” distancing the move from any perception of quid pro quo.
It further clarifies that the agreement is “not connected or otherwise related to any governmental decision” and is “not intended to obtain or retain any improper advantage or to influence any official decision.”
Despite the strong language, critics and ethics experts have begun to question the optics of accepting a luxury jet from a wealthy Gulf nation particularly one that has ongoing diplomatic and security dealings with the U.S. Defense Department. The timing of the deal has also raised eyebrows, as it arrives during broader scrutiny of Defense Secretary Hegseth’s management style and judgment in classified matters.
While the Pentagon publicly announced in May that it had accepted the aircraft, insiders now say the final paperwork is only just being completed. The Washington Post reported that a formal agreement is expected to be finalized within days.
The aircraft is seen as a supplemental option for the aging Air Force One fleet, with President Trump reportedly eager to showcase a sleeker, more modern version of the presidential jet. However, some observers note that taking a donation of this magnitude from a foreign government especially a jet once used by a royal family could set a murky precedent.
As of now, the Pentagon has declined to comment on the agreement or its broader implications.
The deal, while framed as a gesture of goodwill, adds another layer of complexity to the Trump administration’s increasingly unconventional defense and foreign policy maneuvers prompting both curiosity and concern across Washington.