President Donald Trump may not be telling the whole truth about the jet he received from the Qataris, according to analysts.
Over the weekend, The New York Times reported that it will cost about $1 billion to refurbish the “free” jet that Trump received. However, focusing solely on the cost itself is the wrong way to analyze the deal, according to Jon Favreau and Jon Lovett, two of the hosts of Pod Save America.
A better way to view the deal, according to Lovett, is to consider what money is being used for the upgrades and how the plane will be used. The money for the renovations is being rescinded from the Pentagon’s budget to upgrade aging nuclear weapons. In other words, Trump is using taxpayer money for the upgrades as he attempts to turn the plane into Air Force One.
The United States also purchased two new Air Force One planes from Boeing for $3.9 billion, so the additional $1 billion to renovate the Qatari jet is an additional cost.
Secondly, Trump can use the plane for his benefit once he leaves office, even though it is being donated to his presidential library, Favreau said.
“My reaction is, this is f—— insane!” Favreau said on the latest podcast episode. “Particularly because, if they finish it on a really tight timeline, which some officials doubt they’ll be able to, then Trump can fly around on it for about a year before he leaves office. And then, of course, as we remember, he gets to take it with him as a keepsake.”
News of the donation sparked a political firestorm for Trump. Some experts criticized the gift as a quid pro quo, even though the Pentagon has since said the gift was “unconditional,” according to reports.
“Part of me thinks that we’re talking about this in the wrong way,” Lovett said. “The U.S. didn’t really accept a gift, and the Pentagon isn’t really refurbishing Air Force One.”
“What’s happening is that Donald Trump was given a gift of an airplane, and he’s stealing $1 billion from the government to do a [renovation]. That’s what this is,” he continued.