BURSTPresident Trump said in a new interview that he thinks the U.S. "should have the most impressive plane" compared to aircraft used by other world leaders and described the existing Air Force One as "much smaller" and "much less impressive" than planes other countries have.
"When you land and you see Saudi Arabia and you see UAE and you can see Qatar and you see all these — they have these brand-new Boeing 747s, mostly, " Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview aboard Air Force One. "And you see ours next to it; this is like a totally different plane."
"It's much smaller, it's much less impressive — as impressive as it is," he added.
Fox News is scheduled to air the full interview at 9 p.m. on Tuesday.
It comes as Trump faces backlash for an arrangement to accept a $400 million Boeing 747-8 as a gift from Qatar to use as a replacement for the aging Air Force One while in office. The luxury jet, previously used by the Qatari royal family, will be gifted to the U.S. Defense Department and will be transferred to Trump’s eventual presidential library after he leaves the White House.
Trump has faced criticism for agreeing to accept the pricey present from a foreign government. He told reporters at the White House on Monday that it would be "stupid" to reject the offer, and he again defended the arrangement in the interview with Hannity.
"Some people say, 'Oh, you shouldn't accept gifts for the country.' My attitude is, why wouldn't I accept a gift?" We're giving to everybody else, why wouldn't I accept a gift?" Trump said.
The Defense Department has been in the process of replacing the two aging 747s that make up the Air Force One fleet, but the contract with Boeing has faced multiple delays.
"It's going to be a couple of years, I think, before the Boeings are finished," Trump told Hannity. "And they'll be wonderful when they're finished."