WASHINGTON — The Pentagon said it has officially accepted a luxury jet plane from Qatar to use as the new Air Force One for President Donald Trump. "The Secretary of Defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations," said Sean Parnell, the Pentagon's chief spokesman. "The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the President of the United States." Parnell referred additional requests for information to the Air Force. NBC News reached out to Qatari officials for comment. News thatTrump was considering accepting a planefrom a foreign government broke before his planned visit to Qatar last week. Delays had slowed the timeline for delivery of a Boeing contract for two jets to be used as new Air Force One planes. The prospect of the gifted plane has drawn security and ethical concerns fromlawmakers from both sides of the aisle,close Trump alliesandethics groups. "That's a pretty strange offer," Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis. said. Laura Loomer, a Trump ally, said on social media that accepting a plane from Qatarwould be "such a stain"on the Trump administration. "I'm so disappointed," she wrote. Worth about $400 million, the plane has been called a "flying palace." Over the weekend, former Vice President Mike Pence suggested the move could also raise constitutional issues, andquestioned whether the U.S. shouldplace so much trust in a partner that "has a long history of playing both sides." Accepting the plane, Pence said in an interview with Meet the Press, "is inconsistent with our security, with our intelligence needs. And my hope is the president reconsiders it." Noting that there are "very real constitutional issues," Pence referenced thepart of the Constitutionthat does not allow public officials to accept gifts from foreign governments. A refitting could cost $1 billion and take years to complete, more than twice the plane's reported value, NBC Newsreported. When Trump was about the plane during a bilateral meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday, Ramaphosa interjected, saying, "I'm sorry I don't have a plane to give you." "I wish you did," Trump responded. The president defended the offer before visiting Qatar last week, calling the gift "a great gesture" and saying that turning it down would be foolish. "I could be a stupid person and say, 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane,'" the president said.
