A luxurious Boeing 747-8 gifted to US President Donald Trump by Qatar is causing waves in Washington after it was revealed that nearly $934 million has been diverted from a vital nuclear missile modernization program to fund the aircraft’s renovation. The jet, dubbed Trump’s “flying palace,” is poised to temporarily replace the current Air Force One while newly commissioned aircraft face delays. However, the source of the renovation’s hefty price tag and the circumstances surrounding the gift have sparked serious ethical, political, and national security concerns.

Earlier this year, the Qatari royal family presented Donald Trump with a Boeing 747-8, an aircraft valued at around $400 million. This “flying palace” was handed over to the Pentagon, intended to be refitted and designated as a temporary Air Force One. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his Qatari counterpart formalized the “unconditional donation” in an agreement signed just weeks ago.

While the Pentagon has kept the official renovation cost classified, the New York Times reports, citing Air Force sources, that the refurbishment is expected to cost $934 million or more-a figure that vastly exceeds initial estimates. What has further inflamed the issue is the revelation that these renovation funds were quietly funneled from the Sentinel program, the United States’ high-profile effort to modernize the aging Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system.

The Sentinel program is a cornerstone of America’s nuclear deterrence strategy, focusing on overhauling launch facilities, enhancing communications systems, and upgrading missile technology to ensure the country’s continued strategic superiority. According to sources, the Pentagon embedded the nearly $1 billion renovation budget for the Qatari jet into budget requests connected to the........

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