A nonpartisan watchdog group is calling for a federal investigation into the Pentagon's acceptance of a luxury jet from the Qatari royal family on behalf of former President Donald Trump. The Democracy Defenders Fund, led by a former ethics official from the Obama administration, submitted a formal request to the Department of Defense's inspector general and the Government Accountability Office.

The group seeks to determine if the Pentagon violated any laws by accepting the Boeing 747-8, valued at $400 million, as a gift for Trump. According to a memo from the Democracy Defenders Fund, the investigation should focus on whether the Defense Department improperly used its authority to accept the aircraft and whether it diverted $934 million from a nuclear missile program to retrofit the jet.

“If true, this would mean that the DoD is diverting critical nuclear defense funds to outfit an unprecedented gift from a foreign government to a U.S. president,” the memo states. Earlier this year, Trump confirmed that the Qatari royal family would donate the aircraft for his use, with plans for it to eventually be transferred to his presidential library.

Virginia Canter, chief counsel for ethics and anti-corruption at the Democracy Defenders Fund, expressed concern over the situation. “There are so many things wrong with this picture, it's a challenge to know where to begin,” she said. Canter criticized the notion that taxpayers would fund a fifth Air Force One, describing it as a significant breach of public trust and national security interests.

The memo argues that the jet is unnecessary, noting that the U.S. Air Force already operates two 747 jets as Air Force One, with two additional replacement aircraft authorized in 2018 for $3.9 billion. Despite this existing fleet, Trump referred to the Qatari jet as a “gift” in May, suggesting it could be used temporarily while the new aircraft are being built.

“If we can get a 747 as a contribution to our Defense Department to use during a couple of years while they're building the other ones, I think that was a very nice gesture,” Trump stated.

The Democracy Defenders Fund also pointed out that Justice Department guidelines prohibit agencies from accepting gifts that would incur future costs, which appears to be the case with the Qatari jet. The memo indicates that the Air Force has already stated the jet is not currently capable of operating as Air Force One.

Furthermore, the group contends that even if the acceptance of the jet were legal, using Defense Department authority to accept a foreign gift that is not fit for purpose and then spending a billion dollars to upgrade it would be wasteful and mismanaged. The memo describes this as an abuse of the Defense Department's statutory authorities.

A memorandum of understanding between Qatar and the Defense Department, signed earlier this month by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Qatar's deputy prime minister, outlines the unconditional donation of the aircraft. While it does not specifically mention Air Force One, it states that the Pentagon can use the jet in any manner it deems appropriate. The Defense Department inspector general has declined to comment on the matter.