Latest news with #CrookedDemocrats
New York Post
12-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Qatar's ‘Palace in the Sky' jet is NOT a ‘free gift' — and Trump shouldn't accept it as one
What is President Donald Trump thinking? He's bragging of winning a $400 million 'gift' — a 'palace in the sky' Boeing 747-8 jet — from Qatar that, in effect, he'll eventually own personally. Sorry, this 'gift' is far from free; Qatar will surely expect something in return. And the optics are beyond awful, especially as Congress mulls hundreds of billions in Medicaid cuts. 'The fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE . . . so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane.' Trump posted on social media. Yes, Qatar's opulently decked-out 747 would be transferred first to the Defense Department and used as Air Force One when needed, while Boeing completes work on replacements for the two 30-plus-year-old jets now in service. It may be OK for Qatar to temporarily lend a plane to America for fill-in use. But the plan calls for the jet to be donated later to Trump's presidential library, arguably making him its personal owner. That not only looks bad; it creates all kinds of conflicts of interest and runs smack into the Constitution's Emoluments Clause, which prohibits foreign gifts. Trump may claim it's just a 'nice gesture' from friends; after all, he, his family and his pal and Middle East point man Steve Witkoff enjoy good relations with the Qataris. Eric Trump signed a $5.5 billion deal with a Qatari company to build a golf club and villas 40 miles north of Doha (it's expected to net millions for the Trump clan); Qatar spent $643 million in a leveraged buyout to bail out Witkoff and his partners in a New York hotel project. But again, Qatar is famous for seeking to buy influence. And it's not just Qatar: Trump and his family have also been pushing their crypto projects, $TRUMP meme coin and World Financial Liberty, attracting a range of foreign buyers who may be seeking access. It seems déjà vu Biden corruption all over again. And in the case of the jet, as Dan Raviv notes, Qatar isn't truly a friend but a 'frenemy.' Though it lets the United States maintain an air base in Qatar and mediates Israel-Hamas cease-fire talks, it also cooperates with Iran, funds Hamas and hosts its leaders, spreads anti-US and antisemitic hatred via Al Jazeera and buys influence at US college campuses that (surprise!) promote terrorism. Reports suggest Hamas' last US hostage, Edan Alexander, whom it released Monday, may fly to Qatar to meet Trump while he's there this week. That would perfectly reflect America's complicated relationship with Doha: While his freedom is terrific news, it may push Trump to pressure Israel for a permanent cease-fire that allows Hamas to survive and remain in Gaza. Team Trump claims the president's actions are all meant to benefit the nation, but given all the foreign investments and conflicts of interest — and now a $400 million plane — they seem designed to benefit the president more than anything. Trump should think twice before accepting this deal.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Perspective: Media ‘chew toy' or ethical debacle? Either way, the optics of the Qatar jet are terrible
On Monday, author and commentator Walter Kirn asked his followers on X what 'chew toys' President Donald Trump would throw to the media this week to distract them from other things going on. There was an obvious answer in the form of a shiny new jet — dubbed a 'flying palace' — that Trump is considering accepting from the royal family of Qatar to serve as Air Force One while Boeing builds more. To accept an aircraft valued at $400 million for personal use would clearly be a gross violation of ethical standards set for all government employees, even if it goes to his presidential library after his term ends, as some news outlets have reported. But it's not clear that this will happen, or even if the Department of Defense will accept the use of the plane on behalf of the U.S. government. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that the arrangement is under review, adding 'of course, any donation to this government is always done in full compliance with the law.' A social media post by Trump over the weekend was less reserved: 'So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane. Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!!' CBS News confirmed with Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar's media attaché to the U.S., that the discussions are taking place, but no decision has been made. He told CBS News that reports that Trump would receive the aircraft during his trip to Qatar this week are 'inaccurate.' It might well be that, as Kirn suggested, Trump is playing with the media, like some say he is doing when he talks about running for president again in 2028. Despite his accessibility to the media — Leavitt calls him 'the most transparent and accessible president in American history' — his relationship with the press remains adversarial, and there often seems to be a bit of trolling involved in his public statements. 'You know what he cares about? Making idiots mad. And he's really, really good at it,' podcaster Ben Shapiro said recently, arguing that the 'Trump 2028″ ballcap and the talk about restarting Alcatraz were examples of the president needling his critics. More chew toys, in other words. That said, there is something that smacks of truth in Trump's posts about the jet. The president is a man who enjoys luxury, and he has been frustrated with the government's air travel options since his first term. Boeing has been under contract to deliver two new aircraft since 2018; it was supposed to deliver them in 2024, but that's been pushed back to 2027, per CNN. 'The two jets now in use, which have the code letters VC-25A and carry the Air Force One designation when the president is on board, have been in service for nearly 35 years, starting during the term of President George H.W. Bush,' Chris Isidore reported for CNN. That's older than the average age of planes in service globally — which is just under 15 years, according to the International Air Transport Association, per Forbes. That said, a showman like Trump should know that the optics of such a deal, if it transpires, are terrible, even if the White House lawyers find a way around the Standards of Ethical Conduct for the executive branch, which say it's OK to accept a cup of coffee and a doughnut, as well as gifts $20 or less. 'Ask yourself if the gift would have been offered if you were not working for the Government. If the answer is no, then the gift is being offered because of your Government position and, as a general rule, you cannot accept it. ... You must also turn down a gift from those who have interests that may be significantly affected by your Government duties, as they are also considered 'prohibited sources,'' the policy says. Accepting a 'flying palace' from a royal family would also be unconstitutional, The Washington Post reported, saying such a gift would violate "the emoluments clause, which forbids U.S. officials from accepting gifts or other things of value from foreign officials without congressional approval." Republicans have spent years decrying ethical violations in the Biden administration, such as Hunter Biden's lucrative stint on the board of directors of a natural gas company in Ukraine. Now their own president is serving up ethical transgressions on a silver platter, two already this month, between the plane and a private White House dinner and tour offered to the 25 top investors in his $Trump meme coin. Pick your battles, Mr. President. This one won't fly.
Gizmodo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
Trump Says Only a ‘Stupid Person' Wouldn't Take a Free Plane From Qatar
President Donald Trump defended his plan to accept a $400 million plane from Qatar to use as Air Force One during a press conference at the White House Monday morning. The 'great gesture,' as Trump called it, would be one of the most galling acts of corruption in modern history, all in plain sight. But Trump seems to think that it's not actually corrupt as long as public officials don't hide it behind closed doors. News about the plane first broke when ABC News reported Sunday that Trump was in discussions to accept a super luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from the royal family of Qatar. The report said Trump's presidential library foundation would take control of the plane after his presidency, an idea clearly inspired by the fact that a plane which had served as Air Force One during the late 20th century was placed at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum after it was decommissioned in the 2000s. Trump defended the news on Truth Social in a bizarre screed Sunday night, insisting that it would be great to get a 'gift' from Qatar like this. 'So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane. Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA,' Trump wrote. The Trump Organization struck a deal in April to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar, according to the Associated Press, believed to be the first publicly disclosed overseas deal from his company since President Trump was inaugurated in January. Trump's business is also reportedly negotiating deals in other countries like Vietnam, a country that's also important for trade discussions with the U.S. government. Trump was asked by a reporter at the White House on Monday if Qatar had asked for anything in exchange for the $400 million plane. But the president insisted the country just wanted to give him a plane for free and didn't want anything in return. Boeing is currently working on delivering a new Air Force One but is behind schedule, something that clearly frustrates Trump, who called it 'a mess I inherited from Biden.' 'I think Qatar, who has… really we've helped them a lot over the years in terms of security and safety, I felt that… I think that… and very, very nicely,' Trump rambled. 'I have a lot of respect for the leadership and for the leader, Qatar. And I think they very… they knew about it because they buy Boeings.' Trump went on to claim the donation of the plane would be to the Defense Department, which somehow didn't make it corrupt. 'If we can get a 747 as a contribution to our Defense Department to use during a couple of years while they're building the other ones, I think that was a very nice gesture,' Trump said. 'Now I could be a stupid person to say 'oh no we don't want a free plane.' We give free things out, we'll take one too. And it helps us out because, again, we're talking about… we have 40-year-old aircraft.' Trump went on to claim it was a 'gesture of good faith' because the U.S. protects countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar militarily. Trump said those countries 'wouldn't exist' if it weren't for American protection. He went on to bring up the plane at President Reagan's presidential library, appearing to confirm suspicions that his administration got the idea for using his own library as an excuse from that institution. It's unclear how on Earth the U.S. government would be able to secure a plane gifted from a foreign government, given the likelihood that it poses an enormous security risk. But security hasn't really been top of mind for the Trump regime. Needless to say, even if Trump doesn't use the plane in a personal capacity after he leaves office, the transaction is still illegal under the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Applying the most rudimentary logic, nobody gets a $400 million plane for nothing. The press conference on Monday was ostensibly about lowering drug prices, but several other topics came up. And journalists in the room were very interested in the story of the jet from Qatar. Trump was asked by an ABC News reporter what he'd say to people who view the Qatari jet as a 'personal gift to you.' That touched a nerve as Trump said, 'You should be embarrassed asking that question,' referring to the reporter as fake news. The president then went on to tell the story of a golfer named Sam Snead, who died in 2002. 'You know, there was an old golfer named Sam Snead. Did you ever hear of him? He won 82 tournaments,' Trump said. 'He was a great golfer. And he had a motto, 'When they give you a putt, you say, thank you very much.' You pick up your ball and you walk to the next hole.' Trump was referring to the common courtesy that sometimes happens between people who are playing golf together. Someone will just allow someone to pick up their ball when it's close to the hole, assuming they would have made it because it was so easy. He went on to explain that anyone who didn't take something for 'free,' like a gimme putt on the golf course, was essentially a chump. 'A lot of people are stupid,' said Trump. 'They say, 'No, no, I insist on putting it.' Then they putt it and they miss it. And their partner gets angry at them. You know what? Remember that. Sam Snead. When they give you a putt, you pick it up and you walk to the next hole and you say, 'Thank you very much.'' Trump appears to believe a gimme putt and a $400 million jet are the same thing. It's all so shockingly corrupt at every level, but don't expect America's traditional news outlets to call it that. Eric Lipton, a writer for the New York Times, argued Monday on Bluesky that Trump accepting the plane wouldn't technically be corruption because there's no 'explict [sic] quid pro quo.' 'Corruption requires explict quid pro quo. It is not corrupt to take an action that aligns with the interest of a person who gives you a gift, unless the official action was in direct response to that gift—a bribe. Terms matter. Accuracy and fairness matters. Regardless of what social media wants,' Lipton wrote. Corruption requires explict quid pro quo. It is not corrupt to take an action that aligns with the interest of a person who gives you a gift, unless the official action was in direct response to that gift–a bribe. Terms matter. Accuracy and fairness matters. Regardless of what social media wants. — Eric Lipton NYT (@ May 12, 2025 at 6:02 AM For a person trying to be pedantic, this is laughably untrue. The most straightforward dictionary definitions of corruption do not require a quid pro quo. Rick Hasen, a professor at the UCLA School of Law, wrote in response to Lipton's post, 'Please do not confuse the legal requirements for the crime of bribery with the concept of corruption.' Trump's fascist government has absolutely steamrolled American society with blatantly corrupt schemes, including the president's so-called memecoin cryptocurrency, which has reportedly contributed billions to Trump's net worth. The president plans to have dinner with the top buyers of $TRUMP on May 22, one of countless ways Trump is engaging in shady dealings out in public. Again, it seems like Trump doesn't believe he'll actually pay any consequence if he does it out in the open, and so far, he's been right. The biggest scandal of Trump's second term, as far as media coverage is concerned, is probably Signalgate, when Mike Waltz and Pete Hegseth shared military plans on a commercially available messaging app that included the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, Jeffrey Goldberg. The scandal, it seems, was that the impropriety happened in a way that wasn't supposed to be known publicly. If Hegseth and Waltz had just announced ahead of time that they were using Signal to discuss highly sensitive classified information, it almost certainly would not have been a huge story. President Trump will continue to act like there are no guardrails to his administration because it's clear the U.S. is in a constitutional crisis. And America's 'opposition party,' the Democrats, refuse to recognize the emergency we're in. Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar appeared on Meet the Press on Sunday and was asked whether the country was in a constitutional crisis. Klobuchar said we weren't because courts have frequently been ruling against Trump. The problem with that argument? Trump has often ignored the courts. In fact, the Supreme Court ordered Trump to bring back Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was wrongly deported to a prison in El Salvador. Trump has plainly said he'll make no effort to bring the man back. We're in a constitutional crisis, and Trump is corrupt as hell, selling crypto and trying to take a gift worth $400 million from a foreign government. The question is what anyone can do about any of it.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump defends prospect of Qatar gifting plane to use as Air Force One
President Donald Trump is ready to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet as a gift from the ruling family of Qatar during his trip to the Middle East this coming week, and U.S. officials say it could be converted into a potential presidential aircraft. The Qatari government said a final decision hadn't been made. Still, Trump defended the idea — what would amount to a president accepting an astonishingly valuable gift from a foreign government — as a fiscally smart move for the country. 'So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,' Trump posted on his social media site on Sunday night. 'Anybody can do that!' ABC News reported that Trump will use the aircraft as his presidential plane until shortly before he leaves office in January 2029, when ownership will be transferred to the foundation overseeing his yet-to-be-built presidential library. The gift was expected to be announced when Trump visits Qatar, according to ABC's report, as part of a trip that also includes stops in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the first extended foreign travel of his second term. Before Trump's post trumpeting the idea, Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar's media attaché, said in a statement that the 'possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under consideration between Qatar's Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense.' 'But the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made,' the statement added. Meanwhile, administration officials, anticipating ethics concerns, have prepared an analysis arguing that accepting the plane would be legal, according to ABC. The Constitution's Emoluments Clause bars anyone holding government office from accepting any present, emolument, office or title from any 'King, Prince, or foreign State,' without congressional consent. One expert on government ethics, Kathleen Clark of the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, accused Trump of being 'committed to exploiting the federal government's power, not on behalf of policy goals, but for amassing personal wealth.' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer poked fun at Trump's 'America first' political slogan. 'Nothing says 'America First' like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar,' the New York Democrat said in a statement. 'It's not just bribery, it's premium foreign influence with extra legroom.' Even some conservatives expressed dismay online, noting that an aircraft being offered by a foreign government could present security risks if used by a U.S. president. Air Force One is a modified Boeing 747. Two exist, and the president flies on both, which are more than 30 years old. Boeing Inc. has the contract to produce updated versions, but delivery has been delayed while the company has lost billions of dollars on the project. Trump intends to convert the Qatari aircraft into a plane he can fly on as president, with the Air Force planning to add secure communications and other classified elements to it. But it will still have more limited capabilities than the existing planes that were built to serve as Air Force One, as well as two other aircraft currently under construction, according to a former U.S. official. The official was briefed about the plane and spoke Sunday on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans that have not yet been made public. The existing planes used as Air Force One are heavily modified with survivability capabilities for the president for a range of contingencies, including radiation shielding and antimissile technology. They also include a variety of communications systems to allow the president to remain in contact with the military and issue orders from anywhere in the world. The official told The Associated Press that it would be possible to quickly add some countermeasures and communications systems to the Qatari plane, but that it would be less capable than the existing Air Force One aircraft or long-delayed replacements. Neither the Qatari plane nor the upcoming VC-25B aircraft will have the air-to-air refueling capabilities of the current VC-25A aircraft, which is the one the president currently flies on, the official said. Jordan Libowitz, communications director for the advocacy group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, called such a gift 'unprecedented.' 'The totality of gifts given to a president over their term doesn't get close to this level,' Libowitz said, adding, 'You have to ask, if he makes foreign policy — especially in regards to the Middle East — how much is he being influenced by his gifts and his business deals.' ABC said the new plane is similar to a 13-year-old Boeing aircraft Trump toured in February, while it was parked at Palm Beach International Airport and he was spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club. Trump faced lawsuits for violating the Emoluments Clause during his first term, but those were ended by the Supreme Court in 2021, which found the cases moot because the Republican had left office. Trump's family business, the Trump Organization, which is now largely run by his sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, has vast and growing interests in the Middle East. That includes a new deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar, partnering with Qatari Diar, a real estate company backed by that country's sovereign wealth fund. Qatar, which is ruled by the Al Thani family, is home to the state-owned airline Qatar Airways. The country also has worked to have a close relationship to Trump after he apparently backed a boycott of Doha by four Arab nations in his first term. Trump later in his term applauded Qatar. Administration officials have brushed off concerns about the president's policy interests blurring with family's business profits. They note that Trump's assets are in a trust managed by his children and that a voluntary ethics agreement released by the Trump Organization in January bars the company from striking deals directly with foreign governments. But that same agreement allows deals with private companies abroad. That is a departure from Trump's first term, when the organization released an ethics pact prohibiting both foreign government and foreign company deals. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, when asked Friday if the president might meet with people who have ties to his family's business, said it was 'ridiculous' to suggest Trump 'is doing anything for his own benefit.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Even Trump's Biggest Fan Is Outraged by Private Jet Corruption
MAGA disciple Laura Loomer is deeply disappointed in President Trump for accepting a luxury jet from what she called 'jihadists in suits.' The New York Times reported Sunday that the Trump administration plans to accept a Boeing 747-8 plane as a gift from Qatar's royal family. The plane will be upgraded into the new Air Force One. This would be one of the most lavish gifts that a U.S. president has ever been given, and may be in use well after Trump's presidency ends, as it is being given to his presidential library after his term. 'So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,' the president wrote on Truth Social. 'Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA.' Loomer was quick to voice her distaste for the move (even as it was rooted in blatant Islamophobia). 'It's going to be hard for the admin to designate the Muslim Brotherhood and obliterate Iranian proxies in Hamas and Hezbollah when Qatar funds the Muslim Brotherhood, harbors HAMAS, and the US just accepted a $400 million jet from Qatar,' she commented on X. 'We are watching an Islamic takeover of our country in real time.' Loomer continued. 'I love President Trump. I would take a bullet for him. But, I have to call a spade a spade. We cannot accept a $400 million 'gift' from jihadists in suits,' she wrote shortly after the first post. 'The Qataris fund the same Iranian proxies in Hamas and Hezbollah who have murdered US Service Members. The same proxies that have worked with the Mexican cartels to get jihadists across our border. This is really going to be such a stain on the admin if this is true. And I say that as someone who would take a bullet for Trump. I'm so disappointed.' While Loomer's reasoning is rooted in her hatred for Muslims, the conflicts of interest she notes are very real. 'It's hard to see it as a coincidence when Trump's company just announced a new golf resort in Qatar, reportedly partnered with a company owned by the country's government, and will soon be meeting with senior Qatari officials in a Middle East trip that also features meetings with heads of state of two other countries he has property developments in,' said Jordan Libowitz, a spokesman for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. 'At this point, it's impossible to tell the difference between decisions being made by the White House for the good of the country and for the good of the Trump Organization.'
