The former vice president of the United States, Mike Pence, speaks in the observance of the Constitution Day at the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in Murftreesboro, Tennessee, USA. UU., September 17, 2024.
Seth Herald | Reuters
Former Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday that President Donald Trump should reject the gift of a $ 400 million plane from Qatar’s royal family, citing Conerns of National Security.
“Qatar has a long story to play on both sides,” Pence said in an interview with “Meet The Press” by NBC. “The very idea that we would accept an Air Force One of Qatar, I think it is inconsistent with our security, with our intelligence needs … I think it’s a bad idea, and I hope the president thinks better.”
Trump’s plan to accept the luxurious Jatari Jumbo Jet, a Boeing 747-8, and convert it to be used as Air Force One has caused a fierce controversy about legality, ethics and national security implications of what the Government of Larg would be.
Trump previously said that any acceptance of the aircraft is due to delays in the American manufacturer Boeing.
“There are deep problems, the potential for intelligence collection, the need to ensure that the president of the United States is safe and safe as he travels around the world,” Pence said. “My hope is that the president reconsidered. I think that if Qatar wants to give a gift to the United States, they should take those $ 400 million and assemble it in infrastructure in our military base.”
Experts have warned that converting said plane into the Air Force one could take years and could cost us taxpayers to hundreds of millions of dollars in time, NBC reported previously.
Trump said the plane will formally be delivered to the United States Department of Defense. Once Trump ends his second mandate as president, the property of the gift is expected to be transferred to the foundation of the Trump Presidential Library. In doing so, the Palaciete plane would never be personally owned by Trump.
“This very respected country is donating the plane to the United States Department of Defense/ Air Force, and not for me,” Trump said in a publication about Truth Social Sunday. “In doing so, they are saving our country and the American taxpayer, hundreds of millions of dollars.”
