The Trump administration is set to accept a lavish Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet, valued at approximately $400 million, as a gift from the royal family of Qatar.

Dubbed a “palace in the sky” for its opulent design, the aircraft is slated to serve as a temporary Air Force One during President Donald Trump’s second term before being transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation by 2029, according to sources familiar with the arrangement.

The gift, expected to be formally announced during Trump’s visit to Qatar next week, has sparked intense debate over its legality and ethical implications.

The 13-year-old aircraft, toured by Trump in February 2025 at West Palm Beach International Airport, is a marvel of luxury and engineering.

Described as a “flying palace,” it boasts features far beyond standard commercial jets, though specific details of its interior remain undisclosed.

The plane will be handed over to the U.S. Air Force, which will modify it to meet stringent presidential security and communication standards.

This move comes as the current Air Force One fleet faces delays in its replacement program, with new Boeing aircraft not expected until 2027, despite efforts by Elon Musk to expedite the process.

The arrangement allows Trump to use the jet as Air Force One until shortly before the end of his term, at which point ownership will transfer to his presidential library foundation.

This dual-purpose plan—serving both immediate governmental needs and long-term personal legacy—has raised eyebrows, with critics questioning the propriety of such a valuable gift from a foreign government.

The U.S. Constitution’s Emoluments Clause prohibits federal officeholders from accepting gifts from foreign states without congressional approval, prompting scrutiny of the deal’s legality.

However, sources indicate that lawyers from the White House Counsel’s Office and the Department of Justice, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Counsel David Warrington, have concluded that the arrangement is permissible.

Their rationale hinges on the fact that the plane is initially gifted to the Department of Defense, not Trump personally, and its transfer to the Trump library occurs later.

They argue this structure avoids violating anti-bribery laws or the Emoluments Clause, as the gift is not conditioned on any official act.

Despite this legal justification, ethics experts and critics remain skeptical.

Posts on X reflect public outrage, with users labeling the deal as “bribery in broad daylight” and questioning why Congress has not intervened.

Some argue that the transfer to Trump’s library foundation effectively funnels a massive asset to Trump’s personal control, raising concerns about conflicts of interest.

The unprecedented nature of the gift—potentially the most valuable ever offered to the U.S. by a foreign government—further fuels accusations of corruption.