According to a CNN report published today, it was actually the Trump administration that initially approached Qatar about acquiring one of its Boeing 747-8 aircraft as a temporary replacement for Air Force One—contrary to earlier claims by President Trump and other officials that Qatar had offered the plane as a "gift." Ongoing discussions between lawyers at the U.S. Department of Defense and the Qatari Defense Ministry are focused on the potential transfer. Officials note that retrofitting the aircraft with the necessary security and communications systems could take up to two years and cost significantly more than the aircraft's value. By the time the retrofit is complete—projected around 2027—the first of two new VC-25B aircraft from Boeing is expected to be nearing delivery.