White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt joked about the benefits of Donald Trump’s gifted Qatari jet amid Air Force One’s technical difficulties.
Trump’s Air Force One jet was forced to turn back to Joint Base Andrews Tuesday evening while en route to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The White House said the plane suffered a “minor electrical issue” and turned around about 30 minutes into the trip out of an “abundance of caution.”
Trump boarded another plane around midnight and has since safely arrived in Davos.
As the issue unfolded, Leavitt joked to reporters that a Qatari jet sounded “much better,” according to the Associated Press. The comment was a reference to the $400 million luxury Boeing 747 jet Qatar gifted to the Trump administration last year.
Trump defended the move in a Truth Social post at the time, writing that it was a gift “given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME!”
“It is a gift from a Nation, Qatar, that we have successfully defended for many years,” he added. “It will be used by our Government as a temporary Air Force One, until such time as our new Boeings, which are very late on delivery, arrive.”
The jet was accepted “in accordance with all federal rules and regulations” and the Defense Department plans to “ensure proper security measures” on board, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told the Associated Press in May.
The jet could be ready for use as soon as February, Trump said last summer.
Trump’s opponents were quick to criticize the gift and raise ethical concerns. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in May that it was a “stain on the office of the presidency” that “cannot go unanswered.”
This isn’t the first time in recent months that a member of the Trump administration has faced plane troubles.
In February, Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s Air Force plane returned to Washington, D.C., due to a “mechanical issue.” He was forced to take another plane to Germany for the Munich Security Conference.
A military plane with Hegseth on board also made an emergency landing in the U.K. in October due to a cracked windshield.
Trump-Greenland live: US president touts potential Nato deal and drops tariff threat
Washington Post demands immediate return of reporter’s devices seized by FBI
I’m a Capitol Hill reporter. Mike Johnson’s see-no-evil act is all about Trump
Trump backs down on tariffs for Europe over Greenland
ICE is rumored to be heading for Philadelphia. Everyone is saying the same thing
Trump appears to confuse Greenland with Iceland during speech on taking territory
