Trump and the Jet: A Billionaire’s Quest for the Biggest Toy.
As world leaders navigate the complexities of diplomacy with Donald Trump, Qatar may have found a shortcut: appeal to his outsized ego—specifically, with a supersized private jet.
Trump has long had what some would call “plane envy.” Speaking candidly, he once said, “You look at some of the Arab countries, and the planes they have parked alongside the United States of America’s plane—it’s like from a different planet.” Now, it seems, Trump is considering accepting a Boeing 747 from Qatar, an energy-rich Gulf monarchy eager to win his favor. “A very nice gesture,” he said.
But this is far more than diplomacy—it’s a symbol of personal status. Trump has always favored larger-than-life aircraft, rejecting practical or efficient planes in favor of those that reflect opulence and dominance. Aviation professional George Reenstra captured it perfectly: “From an ego standpoint, hey, you land with an aircraft like that—you can interpret that the way you want.” Or as former Trump aide Alan Marcus put it more bluntly: “It’s an extension of who’s got the biggest penis.”
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Trump’s jet obsession dates back to the 1980s, a decade when his high-profile purchases—like the Plaza Hotel and a football team—screamed image over substance. He acquired part of Eastern Airlines and converted it into Trump Shuttle, a short-lived airline for East Coast commuters. Though the business flopped, Trump kept one of its Boeing 727s, decking it out with red velvet seats, wooden tables, and thick-framed art. “It always looked good,” Marcus recalled. “But it didn’t have noise arresters… we couldn’t land at LaGuardia after 11 o’clock at night.”
By 2008, Trump was ready for an upgrade. After considering a Boeing 767, he pivoted to a 757—still massive, but more manageable. Broker Ben Sirimanne introduced him to a 1991 model owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Trump brought in aircraft interior expert Eric Roth, who recalled that unlike most clients, Trump had no team of designers—“It was just him and myself.”
The interior? Pure Trump. Gold, marble, cream tones, a big-screen TV, and a galley space specifically for his favorite snack. “An area in the galley for Oreos,” Roth laughed. “I said to him, ‘Mr. Trump, really?’ He goes, ‘I love Oreos.’”
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Trump still owns the 757, dubbed "Trump Force One." He used it heavily during the 2024 campaign, spending over $5 million in donor funds on flights—effectively channeling campaign cash into his own business.
Meanwhile, in Qatar, the monarchy was sitting on two extravagantly refitted Boeing 747s, each costing more than $400 million between purchase and VIP customization. One was gifted to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2018. The second sat idle, unsold despite $200 million offers. Sirimanne says the Qataris pivoted: “They just decided it’s better to gift it to Trump than to just do maintenance on it.”
Trump’s fascination with colossal jets is more than a matter of taste—it’s deeply psychological. From lavish gold-plated interiors to unnecessary features like Oreo compartments, these planes aren’t just modes of transport; they’re symbols of validation.
He doesn’t just want to win—he wants to be seen winning, and to do it in the biggest, flashiest toy on the tarmac. His reactions and decisions often seem driven by a desire to outshine others, not lead them. In the end, it all feels like it stems from insecurity. Trump behaves less like a statesman and more like a child who always needs the biggest toy.
