The Qatar Prime Minister denied that the country's $400 million megajet aircraft to President Donald Trump was an attempt to buy influence, saying that the U.S. history has accepted gifts from many countries.
"I think this is a normal thing that happens between allies," Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha on Tuesday. "I don't know why people think it's considered bribery or … Qatar wants to buy influence on this government."
"This partnership is a two-way relationship that is mutually beneficial to Qatar and the United States," he added.
The jet's offer comes in front of Trump's visit to the Gulf last week, during which he touted hundreds of millions of dollars in investments to the United States from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
In addition to its proposal to transfer the luxury Boeing 747 jet, Qatar has announced a multi-billion dollar deal with the United States, including agreeing to buy up to 210 aircraft from Boeing as Trump calls the largest jet order in the company's history.
Trump defended his plan to see the plane as a "great gesture" after Democratic members criticized the move as "clear corruption."
Sheikh Mohammed rejected the attempt to influence one of the world's largest LNG exporters and one of its richest countries with Katar in the past or other countries.
"We need to overcome this stereotype of Qatar as a small Arab country because it is gas-rich and cannot find its own way without money buying," he said.
"Our purpose is to have a very clear exchange... The United States needs to accelerate the Temporary Air Force One, Qatar has the ability to provide this service, we step up... A lot of countries have provided us with a lot of things. I'm not comparing it to the Statue of Liberty."
All Gulf countries are trying to get to know themselves with Trump, and also want to buy American weapons and acquire American technology, especially in terms of artificial intelligence.
But Qatar (a U.S. allies) have also been keen to sue the U.S. president, partly because of his hard experience during his first term and the scrutiny faced by his ties to Hamas.
Shortly after Trump's first visit to the Gulf in 2017, he initially appeared with Saudi Arabia and the UAE when they led a nearly four-year regional embargo to Qatar, with all diplomatic and transport links with neighbors. Trump at the time called Qatar a "high-end" sponsor of terrorism, even if it was the largest U.S. military base in the region.
Qatar (Qatar) - A small country has remained vigilant about its vulnerability to its big neighbors, trying to enhance its value to the United States by mediating on behalf of Washington, including the Taliban and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
It was also the main mediator between Israel and Hamas after the October 7, 2023 attack on Palestinian militant group triggered the Gaza War.
But its ties to Hamas – which has been hosting the group’s political office since 2012 and investing aid in Gaza – have drawn criticism from some U.S. lawmakers and Israeli politicians.
Trump said Boeing 747-8 will leave the office “directly” to his presidential library and he will not use it after the end of his term. Boeing is manufacturing replacement aircraft for the existing Air Force One jet, but it has been delayed for several years.
"I'm very grateful," Trump said last week about Katari's proposal. "I'll never refuse such an offer. I mean, I'm probably a stupid guy who said 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive plane'."
Other reports by Chloe Cornish in Dubai