South African President Cyril Ramaphosa apologized, apparently jokingly, on Wednesday to US President Donald Trump that he does not have an aircraft to present as tribute to the American leader.
“I’m sorry I don’t have a plane to give you,” Ramaphosa said in the Oval Office as Trump hosted him for a bilateral meeting and lunch.
“I wish you did. I’d take it,” said Trump. “If your country offered the United States Air Force a plane, I would take it.”
The light-hearted exchange comes after Qatar gifted Trump with a luxury 747 jetliner to use as Air Force One. The Pentagon formally announced that the plane had been accepted just as Trump was hosting Ramaphosa.
The gift of a plane estimated to cost $400 million has raised questions of ethics and legality from Republicans and Democrats alike.
When asked about the plane by a reporter, Trump called the journalist an “idiot.”
“You are a real, you know, you’re a terrible reporter. Number one, you don’t have what it takes to be reporter, not smart enough,” Trump said.