Boeing has secured a deal with Qatar for up to 210 jets in what the White House is calling the aircraft maker's "largest-ever" widebody order, worth $96 billion. The order comes as the Gulf state's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, dismissed controversy surrounding US President Donald Trump's plan to accept a Boeing 747-8 to be used, at least initially, as Air Force One, telling CNN's Becky Anderson on Wednesday that it's simply a "government-to-government transaction," not a personal gift to Trump. The potential transfer of the jet, which Trump has said would be donated to his library after he leaves office, has been criticized by Democrats and Republicans alike, with some of Trump's own supporters pointing to the appearance that Qatar is influence peddling. Trump was in Doha on Wednesday, where economic deals totaling more than $243 billion between the United States and Qatar were announced, including the "historic" sale of Boeing aircraft and GE Aerospace engines to Qatar Airways. In a statement unveiling the deal, the White House called Trump the "dealmaker in chief," in a nod to his desire to be seen as the ultimate salesman and and diplomat on the world stage. Boeing said in a separate statement that the order was for 130 of the company's 787 Dreamliner jets — a widebody twin-engine — and 30 of its 777-9s, which is larger than the 787. There are options for an additional 50 Dreamliners and 777X. "We are deeply honored that Qatar Airways has placed this record-breaking order with Boeing, one that solidifies their future fleet with our market-leading widebody airplane family at its center," Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said in the statement. Boeing's stock closed half a percent higher in New York on Wednesday. Although investors are enthused, they're also aware that order commitments aren't final, and airlines at times have been known to cancel orders they've publicly announced. Still, the deal is a big shot in the arm for Boeing, which is America's largest exporter. Last year, orders effectively ground to a halt after a door plug blew off of an Alaska Airlines 737 Max, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane. Even with a rebound in orders toward the end of 2024, Boeing's gross orders were just 569 for all of last year, down a stunning 60% from 2023. Also not helping Boeing was a massive strike in the fall. About 33,000 machinists hit the picket lines in September, and Boeing didn't restart production until early December. That sank Boeing's deliveries to just 348 planes last year, down 34% from 2023. So Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs have served as a gut-punch to a company already on the ropes because they threaten to make jets millions of dollars more expensive. Boeing also sources parts and supplies from overseas. The Trump administration appears to be seeking Boeing order commitments as part of its negotiating strategy on trade. Last week, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in the Oval Office that, as part of a larger agreement on a trade framework, a British airline has agreed to purchase $10 billion worth of Boeing jets. Reuters later reported the airline was IAG, and it would order around 30 of Boeing's 787 widebody jets. Trump's delegation also announced other agreements in Qatar. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed defense deals, including a statement of intent on defense cooperation between the State of Qatar and the United States. He also signed offer and acceptance letters for MQ-9B, which are remotely piloted aircraft system, and FS-LIDS, which are small aerial systems designed to counter unmanned aircraft. A day earlier in Saudi Arabia, the Trump delegation announced $600 billion worth of tech and defense deals. And later on Thursday, the group will be moving on to the United Arab Emirates, the last stop of the president's first overseas tour of his second term. — CNN
