Trump administration poised to accept 'palace in the sky' as a gift for Trump from Qatar: Sources

The aircraft normally used by the President and other high officials are more than some luxury vehicle. So is this coming with all the features of the existing 747s used, and will it be disassembled before use to make sure it's not bugged?

Also, quid pro quo and all that. What's the catch?

If Trump gets to keep it after his presidency, it's not a gift to the United States.

By law aren't gifts over a certain value supposed to become the property of the American people?

Just imagine how much spyware you can cram into that thing

Is there anywhere I can bet on the likelihood they built it as a Trojan horse that will just fall out of the sky when they’re done with him?

I'd like to see a game show called "Bribe or Gift?" In which politicians compete for campaign funding.

More truthful title:
Fat Orange Imbecile Openly Accepts Bribe. Government Secrets Will Be Sent Back For Years To Come.

The plane will initially be transferred to the United States Air Force, which will modify the 13-year-old aircraft to meet the U.S. military specifications required for any aircraft used to transport the president of the United States, multiple sources familiar with the proposed arrangement said.

Setting aside intelligence and influence concerns mentioned by others in the thread already, I can't really see how this is faster than modifying planes already in the US. I mean, it's a plane with luxury stuff. Surely the issue isn't putting luxury stuff in the thing, but putting security stuff in.

Hell, if the USAF has to start over from scratch, I'd think that it'd take longer, if anything.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5156686-trump-boeing-air-force-one-delays-frustration/

Trump vents frustration with Boeing over Air Force One delays

President Trump is airing grievances with Boeing over delays in delivering new Air Force One jets, telling Republican governors on Thursday he was “getting a little tired” of the hold up.

“I bought a plane. It’s really two planes, Air Force One. Now if Boeing would build the damn thing it would be nice, too. We don’t build like we used to. We don’t build too fast,” Trump said at a reception for the Republican Governors Association.

Like, I assume that time is Trump's beef here.

EDIT:

Yeah, this seems to agree with that:

https://www.popsci.com/technology/why-does-air-force-one-take-so-long-to-replace/

Why a private plane isn’t a viable option

President Trump, realizing the pair of new 747-8 planes might not be completed by the time he leaves office, has suggested sidestepping Boeing altogether and modifying a used private jet instead. The suggestion to sidestep Boeing entirely and “convert” a used aircraft could face several challenges, experts said. The extensive modifications required to make such an aircraft capable of functioning as the president’s plane would essentially mean starting from scratch—a process Boeing has already been working through for years. As a result, a converted used jet could potentially take even longer to become airworthy than the two 747-8 models currently in production.

“Honestly, at this point, any changes you make are likely to make it take longer and cost more even if you’re reducing capabilities,” Harrison said. 

“It [a converted plane] just wouldn’t be anywhere near as capable as the Air Force Ones we have today,” Aboulafia added.

Not to mention that I kind of wonder what it is that makes the existing, older, aircraft such a problem. Whatever it is has to be something that the Qatari royal plane does. Maybe the existing ones don't have some sort of fancy convenience? It used to be the norm for leaders to travel on warships, and I suspect that considerably more tradeoffs were made there.

My first thought seeing this news was "Why would Trump get such a plane for other future Presidents?".

Firstly, Trump being Trump would find a way to make the plane personally his, even placing some of those special Rolls Royce-made silent engines he likes so much. Secondly he already has his own Trump Force 1 to compete with the current AF1 - would he really be able to see another president flying around on his lux-plane while he has to return to the "poor-billionaire's" TF1?

Smells like yet another small sign that he isn't really planning on leaving. Seems like he's just getting his own upgraded Trump Force 1 under the guise of presidency, using taxpayer money, to serve him until he dies - not until the end of the term - and spend a heck-a-ton more taxpayer money in operating costs to fund his weekly golf trips.

LOL, in New York Times headline, "and Post-Presidency Travel"

that dude seems to plan to try to stay by any means necessary until he shuffles off this mortal coil.

Are they just ripping off the left behind series? Literally what the Antichrist does in those books

I bet it has the Signal app built into every screen.

Is it bad that things are so bad that this is a win win? like, chance of it being built with Boeing quality? Win. Bugged? Still better than Signal so win. Foreign adversaries threat that uniquely only affects those on board the plane? win with some collateral damage.

I am not seeing a downside

It would be a real shame if someone helped it along to a rapid, unplanned, disassembly.

That's a nice big target and it's probably missing the usual AFO anti missile gadgets. They will probably rig it with a kill switch and when Trump misbehaves or flips on their deal they will trigger it.

Isnt the 747 old AF and EOL? when was this airframe built? How many miles does it already have on it?

Who cares how many miles it has on it. By all means go for it.