The arrangement has raised ethical and security questions from Democratic and Republican lawmakers and Trump accused Baier of piling on.
He cited former President Reagan’s Air Force One on display at his library in Pasadena, Calif. “This goes to the United States Air Force for whoever is president, and at some point, it’ll be like Ronald Reagan.
The construction of the two Boeing 747s currently used as Air Force One began during Reagan’s tenure.
The Defense Department already has a contract with Boeing to build two new replacement planes for the official presidential fleet.
“We need a plane for a couple of years before we get the other ones, because Boeing is very late,” Trump said.
In a Friday interview, President Trump once more defended his choice to replace Air Force One with a $200 million luxury jet from the Qatari government, while also brushing off criticism from both parties as a “radical left story.”. “”.
During a stop on his diplomatic tour of the Middle East this week, Trump told Fox News’s Bret Baier in Abu Dhabi, “I just want to say, it was a radical left story.”. To demonstrate the absurdity of the situation, the people here want me to pay a billion dollars. “.”.
Then he said, “I made a good deal.”.
While the president is in office, the Pentagon will use the Boeing 747-8, which was once owned by the Qatari royal family and is valued at at least $400 million, as a replacement for the aging Air Force One fleet. Trump’s future presidential library will eventually decommission it.
Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have expressed concerns about the arrangement’s ethics and security, and Trump accused Baier of adding insult to injury.
The president retorted in the interview that the plane will be “old” by the time it reaches his personal repository and that he is not the recipient of the gift, but rather that it is a gift to the federal government. Reagan’s Air Force One, which is on exhibit at his Pasadena, California, library, was mentioned by him.
The United States Air Force will eventually be like Ronald Reagan, regardless of the president. He informed the host, “They won’t want it, so it will be decommissioned.”.
Twelve years after he left office and three years before the former president passed away at the age of 93, Reagan’s plane was decommissioned and given to the Reagan Foundation in 2001. Reagan oversaw the start of construction on the two Boeing 747s that are currently used as Air Force One.
Boeing already has an agreement with the Defense Department to construct two new aircraft to replace the official presidential fleet.
Due to Boeing’s extreme tardiness, Trump stated, “We need a plane for a couple of years before we get the other ones.”. They ought to have no trouble getting rid of them. “.”.
He emphasized that the other two Air Force One aircraft will be prepared “by that time” the aircraft that Qatar donated to his library is decommissioned.
The president went on, “And they will be brand-new planes, et cetera.”.
Trump has previously stated that he is uneasy with the perception of the United States and that it would be “stupid” to refuse the expensive gift from a foreign government. A. possessing a less “impressive” aircraft than those used by other world leaders.
The other 747s are larger, sleeker, and sharper than the new one, and they’re not even the same when you compare it to a 42-year-old aircraft. Additionally, he told Baier on “Special Report” that “it doesn’t look right.”. “.”.
He also admitted in the interview that he had questioned Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the prime minister of Qatar, about the gift and the criticism in the U.S. S. . earlier this week at a press conference.
In fact, I believe he was insulted,” Trump said. He gave a gift to someone who had assisted them. “.”.