US begins preparing Qatari jet to be used as Air Force One

Preparations are underway to refit a Qatari jumbo jet that is expected to serve as Air Force One for President Donald Trump, CBS, the BBC's US news partner, reports.

The Boeing aircraft - valued at $400m (£300m) - is being donated by Qatar as an "unconditional" gift, with any necessary retrofitting costs being borne by the US government.

The deal has ignited criticism from both Trump's detractors and some allies, with a few calling it a "bribe" from a foreign power.

The White House has insisted that taking the aircraft is legal, and pledged that it will be donated to Trump's presidential library once he leaves office. Current rules suggest US officials can only accept gifts under $480.

According to a memorandum of understanding between Qatar and the US defence department seen by CBS, the aircraft will be donated "as is", with the Pentagon overseeing all the modifications necessary before it can be used as part of Air Force One - the president's official mode of air transport.

The plane will also need to undergo security inspections, including sweeps for surveillance or espionage devices, before it can operate.

"Nothing in this MOU is, or shall be interpreted or construed as an offer, promise or acceptance of any form of bribery, undue influence or corrupt practice," the document says. "The parties affirm that the donation is a bone fide gift."

News that the US was accepting the Qatari plane earlier this year sparked fierce and immediate backlash from both sides of the US political spectrum - including from Trump's conservative base.

"I think the technical term is 'skeezy'," said conservative Daily Wire commentator Ben Shapiro on his podcast.

"Qatar is not allegedly giving President Trump a $400m jet out of the goodness of their sweet little hearts," he said. "They try to stuff money into pockets in totally bipartisan fashion."

Laura Loomer, an influential right-wing social media influencer, has said that accepting the plane would be a "stain" on the administration.

The BBC has contacted the White House for comment on the plans.

The current presidential fleet includes two 747-200 jets that have been operational since 1990, along with a set of smaller and somewhat secretive 757s.

In February, the US president said he was "not happy" with US aircraft manufacturer Boeing over two new Air Force One aircraft that he had been expecting to receive directly from the firm.

At the time, he suggested that the administration could "buy a plane or get a plane, or something".

Trump has previously called the gift from Qatar a "great gesture" that he would be "stupid" to turn down.

But critics argue that the donation may be unconstitutional.

California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff quoted a section of the US constitution that states that elected officials cannot accept "any present...of any kind whatever" from a foreign government without approval from Congress.

According to current rules, US officials can only accept gifts valued at less than $480 (£358) - making the aircraft gift highly unusual.

The White House has pushed back on any suggestion that the donation would be illegal.

"The legal details of that are still being worked out," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier this year. "Of course, any donation to the government is always done in full compliance with the law."

Trump has suggested that the plane would go to the "library" after he leaves the White House. Presidential libraries commonly house an archive of documents, and a privately-funded museum of memorabilia.

The total cost to retrofit the aircraft remains uncertain, but experts agree it could be extraordinarily expensive.

The modifications would include installation of advanced security systems, ability to refuel mid-flight, and protection against electromagnetic pulses from nuclear blasts.

Defence experts have suggested the retrofit could run into hundreds of millions - or possibly a billion - dollars.

An anonymous defence official told CBS that funds could be redirected from the overfunded Sentinel system, which is focused on the creation of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles to replace aging Cold War-era platforms.