Qatar insists that a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Doha specifies that the Trump administration initiated the aircraft transfer and that Qatar is not responsible for any future transfers of the plane’s ownership, The Washington Post revealed on Thursday.
President Trump wants the aircraft for the US Air Force, and he allegedly told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday: “[I] got a beautiful big magnificent free airplane for the United States Air Force. Very proud of that.”
A White House official allegedly confirmed that the details of the plane transfer are still being finalized, and that the legal teams representing the United States and Qatar have not reached an agreement regarding the transfer of the aircraft, The Washington Post confirmed.
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani denied that the $400 million gift was to control or manipulate the US in any way, claiming instead that they would provide what the US needs, as allies.
Anna Kelly, a spokeswoman for the White House, reportedly said that there is no question that the plane will be given to the United States at no cost.
Qatar's PM defends plan to gift Trump $400 million plane
Qatar’s prime minister and foreign affairs minister defended gifting US President Donald Trump a Boeing 272-8, claiming the jet is only a “government-to-government transaction” in an interview with CNN in recent weeks.
“This is a very simple government-to-government dealing,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani told CNN’s Becky Anderson, while adding that the matter was “still under legal review.”
“I don’t see any controversy,” he concluded.