Qatar refused to give the plane to Trump

Qatar does not plan to donate the Boeing 747-8 aircraft to US President Donald Trump, but is discussing the transfer of the aircraft at the official intergovernmental level, said Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani in an interview with CNN.

"This is a very simple intergovernmental agreement. The Ministry of Defense of Qatar and the US Department of Defense are discussing the possibility of transferring one of our 747-8 aircraft for use as Air Force One (Air Force One). This issue is at the stage of legal examination," Al Thani said.

At the same time, Al-Thani noted that the proposal to transfer the aircraft would be withdrawn if "it is considered illegal."

The transfer of the plane to Trump by the family of the Emir of Qatar, citing sources, was reported on May 12 by ABC News. In early May, The Wall Street Journal wrote that Trump is considering alternative options for presidential aircraft, while the main contractor, Boeing, is postponing the delivery of airliners.

The potential transfer of the plane by Qatar to the United States has been criticized by both Democrats and Republicans, CNN notes. On May 11, Trump described the move as a "free gift" to the US Department of Defense, and in another post published on May 13, he suggested that anyone who would not accept the Boeing 747 would be a "fool." He repeatedly returned to this issue, noting that he would be a "stupid person" if he refused such a gift.