WASHINGTON -- The Department of Defense has officially accepted a gifted airplane from Qatar that will be used by President Donald Trump. According to the Associated Press, Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth confirmed the department accepted the gift on Wednesday.
The acceptance of the gifted plane has been debated heavily since being offered to Trump during his visit to the Middle East last week. Trump has defended accepting the plane by saying it will save taxpayers money from having to buy a new plane.
Trump plans on using the gifted Boeing 747 as Air Force One, once it is retrofitted to meet security requirements.
“Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for FREE,” Trump posted on social media during the trip.
Critics have questioned the legality of the offer as the Constitution prohibits officeholders from accepting valuable gifts from foreign countries without Congressional approval.
“Far from saving money, this unconstitutional action will not only cost our nation its dignity, but it will force taxpayers to waste over 1 billion in taxpayer dollars to overhaul this particular aircraft when we currently have not one, but two fully operational and fully capable Air Force One aircraft,” said Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the plane was accepted “in accordance with all federal rules and regulations.”