President Donald Trump’s confirmation Sunday that the United States may accept a presidential aircraft gifted from Qatar marked the latest escalation in his clash with Boeing, which is years behind on its government contract to build the new Air Force One.

Taxpayers would likely foot the bill to retrofit President Trump's new jet, which could be more than twice the plane's $400 million value.

Security experts told BI that the work required to make a plane from Qatar ready to be Air Force One would be like building a new plane.

The nation of Qatar offered the Trump administration a Boeing 747-8 for use as Air Force One. Trump called the plane a "gift," in a post on his social media site, Truth Social. A representative of the administration clarified that Qatar "has offered to donate a plane to the Department of Defense," not to Trump himself.

Trump said accepting a luxury 747 from Qatar is a no-brainer. But critics say the plan threatens to turn a symbol of American power into a collection of legal and counterintelligence concerns.

Trump may accept $400 million plane from Qatar to replace Boeing planes used as Air Force One. He toured luxury jet when it was in Palm Beach, Florida

The White House Correspondents Association says it is disturbed that no reporters from either The Associated Press, Bloomberg or Reuters were allowed on Air Force One to cover President Donald Trump's trip to the Middle East on Monday.