Donald Trump’s $400 million “flying palace” from Qatar is making waves far beyond Washington — and even got a sarcastic jab from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a tense Oval Office meeting this week.
The POTUS has previously confirmed he’ll be receiving a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatar’s royal family. The aircraft — which has been described as a “palace in the sky” — is slated to temporarily replace Air Force One, sparking bipartisan outrage.
However, on May 12, Trump defended the deal , writing on Truth Social: “So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane. Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA.”
And – in classic Trump style – the backlash hasn’t slowed him down, and his unapologetic attitude just led to one of the most awkward diplomatic moments during his second term.
“I’m Sorry I Don’t Have a Plane to Give You”
During a Wednesday meeting in the Oval Office, Ramaphosa couldn’t resist throwing what came across as a jab at Trump amid discussions about the controversial jet.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t have a plane to give you,” Ramaphosa said.
Trump – without missing a beat – savagely responded: “I wish you did. I would take it. If your country offered the United States Air Force a plane, I would take it.”
The exchange, which began with jokes, turned sharply bizarre as Trump pivoted into a rant about so-called “white genocide” in South Africa — a claim that has been widely debunked by both South African authorities and international observers. The POTUS even played a video to the room showing an alleged mass grave site for more than a thousand white farmers.
Per BBC News: “None of South Africa’s political parties – including those that represent Afrikaners and the white community in general – have claimed that there is a genocide in South Africa.”
The outlet continues: “Such claims have been circulating among right-wing groups for many years, and during his first term, Trump referred to the ‘large scale killing of farmers’ in South Africa. Some white farmers have been killed but a lot of misleading information has been circulated online.”
A Meeting Gone Off the Rails
The meeting quickly descended into confusion, with Trump holding up printed articles and playing an anti-apartheid video that featured images of white crucifixes and lyrics about killing a farmer. Trump insisted the video was evidence of “state-sanctioned violence” against white farmers.
“They’re being killed,” he told Ramaphosa, pushing the disproven narrative that the South African government is allowing — or even encouraging — attacks on white citizens.
The South African leader, visibly bewildered, replied with restraint: “We are completely opposed to that,” adding that the controversial song from the EFF party cited in Trump’s video “is not meant to be understood literally.” He urged Trump to “listen to the voices of South Africans.”
Businessman Johann Rupert, also present, tried to inject some reality. “It’s not only white farmers. It’s across the board,” he said, addressing South Africa’s broader crime problem.
Ramaphosa doubled down on facts, stressing that his government is “completely, completely against what he was saying.”
$400 Million Plane, Countless Questions
The scandal stems from the Trump administration’s acceptance of the $400 million Boeing 747 from Qatar — a move critics say could breach constitutional limits on gifts from foreign entities. The Pentagon insists everything is above board.
“The secretary of defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations,” said Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. “The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the president of the United States.”
Still, the reaction has been brutal.
“That’s a really disturbing way of saying ‘I can be bought. America can be bought,'” one Reddit user wrote after the Oval Office exchange. Another called it a “mask off” moment.
Senator Adam Schiff, D-Calif., cited the Constitution’s No Title of Nobility clause, and said: “The corruption is brazen.”
The Department of Defense’s acceptance of the plane came just as Trump confirmed that the jet would eventually be donated to his presidential library — an apparent violation of US laws barring presidents from keeping personal gifts worth over $480.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has pledged oversight: “If and when it’s no longer a hypothetical, I can assure you there will be plenty of scrutiny of whatever that arrangement might look like.”
Refugee Loopholes and G20 Drama
Trump has reportedly granted refugee status to over 50 white South Africans, even while clamping down on asylum claims from nearly every other country.
And despite being scheduled to attend the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg, Trump has allegedly ordered the US government to boycott the event. Ramaphosa, however, remains hopeful he’ll still show up, per Newsweek.
“We were taught by Nelson Mandela that whenever there are problems, people need to sit down around a table and talk about them,” Ramaphosa said. Trump simply replied, “Well, there are problems.”
