Leading Democrats are raising alarms over reports that President Donald Trump plans to divert funds from the US nuclear arsenal to convert a luxury jet gifted by Qatar into a new Air Force One. The controversy centres on a $400m Boeing 747-8 aircraft offered by the Qatari royal family, which the president accepted in May. Retrofitting the plane for presidential use is estimated to cost taxpayers around $1bn.
In a letter obtained by the Guardian, senators Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth, Ed Markey and Adam Schiff, along with representatives John Garamendi and Jamie Raskin, have demanded answers from Air Force Secretary Troy Meink. They question whether funds redirected from the Sentinel nuclear missile modernisation programme—already over budget and behind schedule—are being used for the retrofit.
The Democrats note that the air force has reportedly assessed $934m previously allocated to Sentinel as 'excess to need', potentially allowing these funds to be used for other classified programmes, including the Qatari jet. They ask Meink whether shifting money from Sentinel will increase costs or cause further delays, and whether any of the $934m has gone towards the retrofit.
The lawmakers criticise the lack of transparency, pointing out that the total cost of the retrofit is classified. They request a commitment from the air force to cooperate fully with any independent investigation into the acceptance and retrofitting of the Qatari jet. Democrats have previously suggested the gift may violate the constitutional ban on foreign emoluments, as the jet would only be used for a few years before being donated to Trump's presidential library.
Trump has defended his decision, saying he would not turn down such an offer and comparing it to accepting favours on a golf course. However, the Democrats argue that Qatar is trying to curry favour with the administration, noting that the Trump Organization recently announced a new Trump-branded resort in Qatar, partnering with a state-backed property company.
