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President Donald Trump has defended his decision to accept a $400 million luxury jet from the Qatari government despite bipartisan calls for him to reject the gift.
Some shit you should know before you read: Last week, news broke that Qatar offered the United States a luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft, previously used by the Qatari royal family, as a gift intended to serve temporarily as Air Force One while new presidential aircraft are under construction. The jet, valued at roughly $400 million, was proposed as a potential solution amid delays in Boeing’s delivery of two new Air Force One planes, which are not expected to be operational until at least 2027. Under the proposed arrangement, the Qatari jet would be used by the US Air Force during Trump’s presidency and later transferred to his presidential library, similar to the fate of Ronald Reagan’s former Air Force One. However, defense experts have warned that converting the plane for presidential use could still take years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars, as it would require the installation of advanced security systems, encrypted communications, and defensive countermeasures like missile defense technology — all of which are standard on current presidential aircraft.
What’s going on now: During an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier in Abu Dhabi, President Donald Trump defended his decision to accept the Qatari government’s offer of the jet, dismissing criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. Trump framed the arrangement as a practical solution, saying, “This goes to the United States Air Force for whoever is president, and at some point, it’ll be like Ronald Reagan. It’ll be decommissioned, because they won’t want it.”
He rejected accusations of impropriety, arguing that he wasn’t personally benefiting from the gift: “The people here, to show you how crazy it is, they would like me to pay a billion dollars.” Trump labeled the controversy a “radical left story” and added, “I made a good deal,” pointing to long delays in Boeing’s delivery of new Air Force One jets as the reason for needing an interim aircraft.
Despite this, former Vice President Mike Pence is one of the first high-profile Republicans to publicly oppose the deal, calling it a threat to US security and constitutional integrity. In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Pence said, “Qatar has a long history of playing both sides. They support Hamas. They supported al-Qaeda. The very idea that we would accept an Air Force One from Qatar, I think is inconsistent with our security, with our intelligence needs.”
He also cited the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, which prohibits public officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments.
Other critics from both sides of the aisle echoed similar concerns. Republican Senators Rand Paul and Ted Cruz warned of espionage and surveillance risks associated with using a plane provided by a foreign government. On the Democratic side, Senator Chris Murphy described the deal as “wildly illegal,” suggesting it was effectively a cash payment in exchange for political favors.
