Trump says it would be foolish to refuse a plane donated by Qatar, four senators claim it would be a "clear conflict of interest"

United States President Donald Trump said today that it would be foolish to reject a plane being gifted to the United States by Qatar.

"I think it's a nice gesture from Qatar. I'm very grateful. I'm not one to turn down an offer like that. You could be a stupid person and say, 'No, we don't want you to give us a very expensive plane,'" the US president said at the White House, according to AFP.

News of a $400 million gift of a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet, intended to be a gift to the ruling family in Qatar during Trump's Middle East tour that begins tomorrow, has sparked criticism among some Democrats as well as Trump allies.

The Qatari government said no final decision had been made. Still, Trump defended the idea, which the AP reports would mean a president accepting a staggeringly valuable gift from a government, presenting it as a fiscally smart move by the government.

Trump says the plane would eventually be retired and become an exhibit in his future presidential library. He has said he will not fly in it after he leaves office.

Trump added that the leadership in Qatar knows that Boeing has been forced to delay the construction of the next generation of presidential aircraft, Air Force One, and that it wants to help - by donating the plane to the US government.

Four Democratic senators issued a joint statement claiming that Trump would be in a "clear conflict of interest" if he accepted a $400 million luxury jet from Qatar.

The senators urged their colleagues to reconsider the rule that lawmakers cannot receive gifts from foreign governments without Congressional approval.

"Air Force One is more than just an airplane - it is a symbol of the presidency of the United States of America," the senators wrote.

"Any president who accepts this type of gift, estimated at $400 million, from the government creates a clear conflict of interest, raises serious national security issues, invites foreign influence, and undermines public confidence in our government. No one, not even the president, is above the law," they wrote.

Trump begins a seven-day trip to the Middle East tomorrow, during which he will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, although, as the AP reports, his most pressing regional challenges relate to two other countries - Israel and Iran.