President Trump’s planned acceptance of a $400 million jet from the Qatari government raises a series of ethical and national security concerns, as the commander in chief turns to the polarizing but immensely wealthy Gulf state to leapfrog existing plans for constructing a new Air Force One.

The government has already contracted with Boeing to deliver a replacement for the aging presidential plane — a project not expected to be completed until as early as 2027.

But the Qatari gift would speed that timeline — likely at the expense of security guidelines required by the U.S. Trump has said he plans to keep the plane once he leaves office through his presidential library, which adds to the ethical questions.

The Constitution makes clear that accepting a gift from an overseas power requires the blessing of Congress — a provision Trump violated in his first term through numerous foreign entanglements.

“He needs the consent of Congress, and if he can't get consent of Congress, then he can't accept it,” said Richard Painter, who served as the chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush.

“Congress could have some questions about what's going on here, legitimate questions, about, why are we receiving this plane?” Painter said.

He added that taxpayers aren’t saving money since Boeing already has a contract to build a new Air Force One.

“It’s just Trump wants the plane sooner,” Painter said.

“It's humiliating — humiliating for the United States to have Qatar provide the plane for the president of the United States.”

National security hawks in Washington often criticize U.S. ties with Qatar, pointing to allegations it supports terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, the Taliban and the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood. Qatar is also criticized for using its state-funded media, Al Jazeera, for inciting violence against the U.S. and Israel.

But the U.S. is a longtime ally with Qatar, which hosts the American military at the Al Udeid Air Base. It served as a major transit hub for evacuees from Afghanistan during the U.S. withdrawal. Former President Biden upgraded the country to a major non-NATO ally in 2022.........

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