In late July 2025, reporters from The New York Times discovered a "mysterious" transfer of $934 million that they claimed would be used to renovate the Boeing 747 plane U.S. President Donald Trump received as a gift from Qatar earlier that year.

Earlier this year, President Trump confirmed that the Qatari royal family was donating a Boeing 747-8 for his use.

To hide the cost of renovating the plane Qatar donated to President Trump, the Air Force appears to have tucked it inside an over-budget, behind-schedule nuclear modernization program.

The United States and Qatar are just days away from finalizing a highly debated agreement involving a Boeing 747-8 aircraft that could serve as a future version of Air Force One. Qatar’s Boeing 747 “Gift” Awaits Final Approval According to internal documents reviewed by The Washington Post,

Four main systems, all made by American manufacturers, were highlighted as part of the Qatari armed forces’ military response.