Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has signed an agreement with Qatar to accept a donated Boeing jet for potential use as Air Force One, marking a key step in a controversial transfer that President Donald Trump has supported.

The memorandum of understanding, signed July 7 by Hegseth and Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, outlines the “unconditional donation” of a 13-year-old luxury jet formerly used by the Qatari royal family. The move advances what may be one of the largest foreign gifts ever accepted by a U.S. administration.

According to multiple reports, the document explicitly states that the aircraft is a “bona fide gift” to the U.S. Department of Defense and that no payment is required from the United States.

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