Trump under fire over Qatari jet gift
Shafaq News/ US President Donald Trump is facing fresh accusations of corruption and ethics violations after accepting a luxury jet from Qatar and allegedly promoting cryptocurrency ventures linked to his inner circle.
Watchdog groups and opposition lawmakers have slammed Trump's decision to accept a Boeing 747 from Qatar's royal family—reportedly worth $400 million—intended to serve as a presidential aircraft before being donated to Trump's presidential library.
'It's perhaps the most blatant and egregious corruption we've seen compared to his first term,' Noah Bookbinder, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), told AFP. 'There's a real danger that when it comes time to make decisions involving Qatar, the president will be thinking about how grateful he is for that jet instead of considering what's best for the American people.'
Trump dismissed criticism of the gift earlier this week, calling it 'stupid' to reject it and suggesting it reflects a new chapter in US-Qatar relations.
However, the US Constitution prohibits federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval. The White House has claimed it is applying the "highest level of transparency" in handling the matter.
Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer called the jet "the biggest presidential bribe in modern history,' amplifying concerns over Trump's financial entanglements with Gulf states.
Beyond the aircraft, watchdogs have flagged growing concerns about Trump's promotion of cryptocurrency, including a May 22 dinner he plans to host at one of his private golf clubs exclusively for the top 220 investors in his "$Trump" token. The top 25 contributors will reportedly receive a special tour of the White House.
Groups have also cited a March announcement that UAE-based fund MGX will invest $2 billion in crypto exchange Binance using a token associated with Trump's family business, World Liberty Financial.
As part of his current Middle East trip, Trump arrived in the UAE on Thursday following visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar—three countries with longstanding business ties to the Trump Organization, including real estate, sports, and finance sectors.
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