Trump Marvels At Wealth Of His Arab Hosts While He Eyes White House And Air Force One Upgrades

Donald Trump is the most powerful and famous person on the planet, and the American president is at the helm of the biggest economy and the strongest military.

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Donald Trump is the most powerful and famous person on the planet, at the helm of the biggest economy and the strongest military.

But on his trip to the Middle East this week, the American president is sounding more than a little envious of his Arab hosts.

He admired the marble in the Qatari palace as “perfecto” and “very hard to buy.” He praised the “gleaming marvels” of the skyline in Saudi Arabia. And he groused about the “much smaller” and “much less impressive” plane that is Air Force One.

On his flight to the region, Trump said the Gulf states all have “these brand-new Boeing 747s,” while he was stuck using a version nearly 40 years old.

The president is so impatient for a replacement plane that he is considering accepting a donated model from Qatar, despite concerns that it could be less secure, costly to retrofit and a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition on foreign gifts. He presented no national security imperative for a swift upgrade rather than waiting for Boeing to finish new Air Force One jets that have been in the works for years.