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Pentagon Hides Cost of Qatar-Gifted Air Force One After $934M Missile Fund Transfer

The Qatar-donated 747 is awaiting a classified retrofit in Texas funded by a $934 million diversion from the Sentinel missile program, prompting bipartisan calls for budget transparency, legal review, audit.

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Donald Trump disembarks from Air Force One upon his arrival at Prestwick Airport, south of Glasgow on July 25, 2025, on the first day of his UK visit.
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FILE - A 13-year-old private Boeing aircraft that President Donald Trump toured on Saturday to check out new hardware and technology features, and highlight the aircraft maker's delay in delivering updated versions of the Air Force One presidential aircraft, takes off from Palm Beach International Airport, Feb. 16, 2025, in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Overview

  • The Qatar-donated Boeing 747-8 sits in San Antonio, Texas, awaiting a classified contract to retrofit it into Air Force One.
  • Pentagon officials have classified the refurbishment cost, refusing to disclose figures to Congress or the public under a black-budget designation.
  • A $934 million transfer from the over-budget Sentinel ICBM modernization program appears to underwrite the plane’s overhaul and leaves the nuclear upgrade technically fully funded.
  • Air Force Secretary Troy Meink estimated in June that retrofitting would cost under $400 million; engineers and analysts warn true expenses could approach $1 billion.
  • Republican and Democratic lawmakers have demanded an audit of the funding reallocation, legal review of potential Emoluments Clause conflicts.