Trump Formally Accepts Gift of $400 Million Plane From Qatar Despite Barrage of Criticism

Ignoring the widespread bipartisan criticism and security concerns, President Trump is moving forward with his plan to take possession of a luxury jet from Qatar to replace the current Air Force One. A Pentagon spokesman, Sean Parnell, said in a statement Wednesday, “The secretary of defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations.”“The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the president of the United States,” he said. During an Oval Office meeting with the president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, a reporter asked about the Pentagon statement.“What are you talking about?” Mr. Trump shot back. “Get out of here. What does this have to do with the Qatari jet? They’re giving the United States Air Force a jet, okay? And it’s a great thing. We’re talking about a lot of other things, it’s NBC trying to get off the subject.”The president then lashed out at the reporter for asking about the jet, saying he is “not smart enough” to be a reporter.Mr. Ramaphosa later quipped, “I’m sorry I don’t have a plane to give you.” Mr. Trump responded, “I wish you did. I would take it. If your country offered the United States Air Force a plane, I would take it.”The prospect of Mr. Trump accepting the plane, valued at $400 million, sparked criticism from Democrats and even some in MAGA circles, who said accepting the plane violates the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause — which prevents federal officials from receiving gifts or payments without Congress’s approval. The Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, introduced a bill to block the Department of Defense from using funds to modify a plane that was previously owned by a foreign government as the presidential aircraft. Congressman Greg Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced similar legislation. Mr. Meeks’s bill would also block the transfer of a foreign-owned plane to Mr. Trump’s presidential library. Attorney General Bondi has said the deal would not violate the Constitution if the transfer of the plane is not conditioned on any official act in exchange, if it is transferred to the American government instead of to Mr. Trump, and if it is transferred to the 47th president’s library and not to him directly for his personal use after he leaves office. While Democrats have raised concerns about the plane violating the Emoluments Clause, some Republicans, such as Senator Cruz, have raised security concerns about the aircraft. During an interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box” earlier this month, Mr. Cruz said, “I’m not a fan of Qatar. I think they have a really disturbing pattern of funding theocratic lunatics who want to murder us, funding Hamas and Hezbollah. And that’s a real problem.”“I also think the plane poses significant espionage and surveillance problems,” he said. “We’ll see how this issue plays out, but I certainly have concerns.”Mr. Trump has expressed deep frustration with Boeing’s delays in the process of building two new planes to serve as Air Force One and replace the existing jet, which has been in service since the 1990s. The Air Force and Boeing have said that the planes might be ready as soon as 2027. However, the White House has said they might not be ready until 2029 or later — after Mr. Trump’s term would be over. Mr. Trump has defended the plan, saying the plane is “free” and being given to the defense department. In a post on Truth Social, he said, “Only a FOOL would not accept this gift on behalf of our country.”On Saturday, he criticized ABC News for its coverage of the plan and claimed that Qatar is “donating the plane to the United States Air Force/ Defense Department, AND NOT TO ME.” He has also said that the plane will be temporarily used as Air Force One and then given to his presidential library. However, he has not ruled out using the plane after he leaves office. Multiple reports have noted that the luxury plane, which has been called a “flying palace,” would need to undergo significant, expensive modifications to bring it up to the standard of Air Force One. Estimates of the cost vary; the Washington Post cited “current and former” American officials who said the retrofit could “take years of work and billions of dollars.” Meanwhile, aviation “experts” told NBC News that the modifications on the plane from Qatar might not even be complete until 2029.

Trump Formally Accepts Gift of $400 Million Plane From Qatar Despite Barrage of Criticism

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