The new plane received by Donald Trump from the Qatari government has arrived in the USA, but the president claims it is too large to be considered a personal benefit.
It is a Boeing 747-8, a model longer by over 5 meters compared to the current Air Force One, in use since the ’90s.
Although the origin and value of the plane have sparked controversy, Trump maintains that it is a gift for the American air forces, not for him personally, writes The Guardian.
"It's way too big," says Trump about the plane
In a question-and-answer session with the press held in the Oval Office, Trump insisted that the plane is intended for the United States, not for him personally: "Honestly, it's way too big," the president declared.
He described the aircraft as "beautiful, large, magnificent, and free for the US air forces."
"They tried to say, 'It's Trump's plane.' Sure, of course. It's too big, honestly, it's way too big."
Gift from Qatar sparked harsh criticism in Congress
Qatar's initial offer has triggered a wave of criticism from both American political parties, especially after Trump's recent visit to the Gulf state, where he heavily promoted commercial agreements. Democratic Senator Cory Booker and other party colleagues condemned the deal, while Chris Murphy from Connecticut called the gift "the definition of corruption" and "completely illegal."
The reactions have put pressure on the White House to clarify the real destination of the plane.
When asked on Wednesday if the plane will definitely become the new Air Force One, Trump only replied that the aircraft is now in the USA and is "reconfigured to military standards."
He admitted that he does not know the cost of the modification, but he speculated that it will be "much cheaper than building a new one."
At the same time, he once again criticized Boeing for the delays in replacing the current Air Force One, which would have led to accepting a plane from abroad.
G.P.