By Natasha Bertrand, CNN

(CNN) — Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told lawmakers on Thursday that it will “probably” cost the Air Force less than $400 million to retrofit a luxury Qatari plane that President Donald Trump has said he is getting from the Qataris as a gift to use as the new Air Force One.

Meink was grilled about the plane’s cost by Democratic Rep. Joe Courtney during a hearing before the House Armed Services Committee.

“You can’t retrofit a plane that is built for another purpose for Air Force One and expect it to be a free plane,” the Connecticut congressman said, adding that the Qatari plane will require encrypted communications technology, hardened defenses and countermeasures. “It’s clear that this is going to be a drain on the Air Force’s budget.”

Meink would not di

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