Revealing the cost of renovating Trump's 'flying palace': Nearly $1 billion from nuclear funds?
The New York Times reported that nearly $1 billion was allegedly drawn from funds allocated for the nuclear modernization program.
The New York Times (NYT) recently reported that the luxury aircraft Qatar gifted to US President Donald Trump is expected to cost $934 million or more to refurbish, citing Air Force sources.
The news agency claims that the money was quietly diverted from the budget allocated for modernizing the US ground-launched nuclear missile system.
The Qatari royal family gifted President Trump a $400 million Boeing 747-8, dubbed the "flying palace," earlier this year. The aircraft has since been delivered to the Pentagon to serve as Air Force One while Boeing's new planes are still delayed.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his Qatari counterpart signed an agreement earlier this month for Qatar to "unconditionally donate" the aircraft. Refurbishment is expected to begin in the coming weeks.
Although official costs are kept secret, sources told the NYT that the Pentagon has been concealing renovation funds within the Sentinel program – a project to overhaul the aging Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system with new launch facilities and communications systems.
Air Force sources reportedly revealed that the Pentagon quietly included a $934 million transfer for the refurbishment of Qatar's aircraft in a document related to the program and recently submitted it to Congress.
The handover of the aircraft has been controversial and met with criticism for ethical reasons. "The more we learn about this deal, the more disturbing it becomes," Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen told the NYT.
She warned of "significant security implications" of accepting a foreign aircraft as Air Force One and criticized the redirection of nuclear modernization funds to "a frivolous project of President Trump."
U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Troy Meink told Congress in June that he expected the renovation costs to be under $400 million. But Air Force engineers told the NYT that estimate was unrealistic, citing extensive upgrades including communications systems, anti-missile systems, engine improvements, removal of suspected surveillance equipment, and additional "luxury amenities" requested by Trump.
President Trump defended the gift, telling reporters in May that he "would never turn down an offer like that."
He added: "I would have to be stupid to say, 'No, we don't want a free plane and it's very expensive.'"
