In Qatar, reports about a gift to Trump have been denied: the matter concerns a “governmental agreement,” not an outright gift
Diplomatic circles are still debating the likelihood of transferring a modern aircraft to the U.S. President Donald Trump. However, official representatives of Qatar insist: it is not about an immediate gift, but about concluding a “governmental agreement.” This position was expressed by the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. In an interview with CNN, he stated that the issue pertains specifically to a state contract, not a commercial transfer or gift from the Qatari government. According to the high-ranking official, negotiations on this matter are ongoing, with both Doha and Washington actively discussing the details. Sharing his stance, Minister Al Thani said: “It’s about a very simple intergovernmental agreement. The country’s Ministry of Defense and the U.S. military are currently negotiating the transfer of one of our new Boeing 747-8 aircraft, which could later be used as Air Force One. All these issues are under legal review, and both sides are striving to ensure their legitimacy.” He emphasized that this agreement is purely a state-level contract and is not related to individuals from either side. “This is an intergovernmental contract that advances in accordance with the law. Discussions about possible arrangements are at the government level, and the detailed process is still ongoing,” Al Thani stated. At the same time, he confirmed that if, during the legal review process, the agreement is found to be illegal, the Qatari side will most likely withdraw its proposal. “We will not do anything that violates laws or international regulations. It’s a transparent exchange between the governments of two countries,” the minister underlined. Al Thani also dismissed any concerns about intentions from the Gulf capital to gain influence in the U.S. through this contract. In his view, Qatar sees no need for that. “Why would we artificially influence U.S. policy? Over the past ten years, Qatar has supported the U.S. to the maximum in their international efforts. We have been there when it came to counter-terrorism, evacuations from Afghanistan, and hostage releases,” he said. According to Al Thani, the friendly relations between the two countries are built on trust and mutual support, and diplomatic cooperation with the U.S. is a part of Qatar’s foreign policy. The minister added that Doha has always aimed to align itself with the U.S., assisting them in difficult situations because these two countries share common values and interests. “We believe that such friendship should be mutually beneficial, and mutual support is the foundation of long-term relations,” he concluded. Against the backdrop of these official statements, earlier reports had appeared claiming that the U.S. administration had already received a Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatari authorities as a gift. According to those reports, this modern aircraft—considered one of the largest and most comfortable in its class—was valued at around 400 million dollars. However, subsequent reports indicated that the actual cost of transferring the aircraft could exceed the previously stated 400 million dollars and may reach over one billion dollars. This significantly complicates the prospects of such an operation and raises further questions from independent analysts and human rights organizations. Therefore, the situation surrounding the possible “dowry” for Trump in the form of a modern private jet remains open and tense. Official Qatar emphasizes that it concerns diplomatic coordination and an intergovernmental agreement, without any personal or financial interests. This again highlights the importance of correctly understanding diplomatic and international processes, which can sometimes be perceived as a “gift,” but often do not correspond to reality.