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New York Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Top Democrat Warns Hegseth He Could Face Fines for Accepting Qatari Plane
Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, informed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday that he could face steep fines for having accepted a luxury jet from the Qatari government, arguing the gift violated the Constitution and a federal gifts law, and required congressional approval. Mr. Hegseth was the official who formally accepted a Boeing 747 jetliner from Qatar last month, according to a Defense Department spokesman. The Pentagon has directed the Air Force to upgrade its security measures so that President Trump can use the plane as a new Air Force One. The gift has raised a host of concerns among both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. Some have focused on national security risks, saying they worry the plane might have listening devices, or that Mr. Trump's desire for a new plane before he leaves office might rush any security upgrade and lead corners to be cut on critical protection systems. But many lawmakers, especially Democrats such as Mr. Raskin, have focused on the ethical issues raised by a lavish gift to an American president from a foreign government. They have accused Mr. Trump of corruption and expressed fears that Qatar may be trying to improperly influence the Trump administration. In a letter on Wednesday, Mr. Raskin, a former professor of constitutional law, warned Mr. Hegseth that his acceptance of the plane violated the Constitution's emoluments clause, which bars federal officials from accepting financial benefits from foreign governments without Congress's approval. Congress has not yet taken any formal vote to accept the plane as a gift from Qatar. Officials in the Trump administration have said that the gift is to the U.S. government, not to him as president, and therefore that it does not violate the Constitution or ethics laws. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Free Malaysia Today
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
US accepts Boeing jet from Qatar for use as Air Force One
Qatar's offer of the jet for Air Force One raised major constitutional, ethical, and security concerns over foreign-donated aircraft use. (AP pic) WASHINGTON : US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has accepted the Boeing 747 that the Gulf emirate of Qatar offered to President Donald Trump for use as Air Force One, the Pentagon said Wednesday. Qatar's offer of the jet – which is valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars – has raised huge constitutional and ethical questions, as well as security concerns about using an aircraft donated by a foreign power for use as the ultra-sensitive presidential plane. 'The secretary of defence has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations,' Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement. 'The department of defence 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,' Parnell said, referring questions to the US air force. The US Constitution prohibits government officials from accepting gifts 'from any King, Prince or foreign State,' in a section known as the Emoluments Clause. But Trump has denied there are any ethical issues involved with accepting the plane, saying it would be 'stupid' for the US government not to take the aircraft. 'It's a great gesture,' the 78-year-old billionaire told reporters at the White House last week when asked if the oil-rich Gulf state would expect anything in exchange. 'I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer. I mean, I could be a stupid person (and) say 'no we don't want a free, very expensive airplane.'' The leader of the Democratic minority in the US senate introduced legislation earlier this week that would block Trump from using the aircraft. Chuck Schumer's Presidential Airlift Security Act would prohibit the Pentagon from using taxpayer funds to retrofit any plane previously owned by a foreign government for use as the presidential plane. 'Donald Trump has shown time and again he will sell out the American people and the presidency if it means filling his own pockets,' Schumer said in a statement. 'Not only would it take billions of taxpayer dollars to even attempt to retrofit and secure this plane, but there's absolutely no amount of modifications that can guarantee it will be secure.' Although several Republicans have voiced concerns about the proposed gift, Senate Majority Leader John Thune – a Trump loyalist – is not obliged to bring the bill to the floor of Congress's upper chamber. But Schumer plans to force a vote by offering it as an amendment to spending bills that Republicans will have to pass later in the year.
New York Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Senate Democrats Ask for Inquiry Into Bondi's Role in Qatar Jet Gifted to Trump
A group of Senate Democrats on Wednesday asked the Justice Department's inspector general to investigate Attorney General Pam Bondi's role in the Trump administration's decision to accept a free luxury jet from Qatar to serve as Air Force One. In a letter, eight Democrats on the Judiciary Committee raised ethical questions over the gifted plane and expressed concern about reports that Ms. Bondi provided legal guidance that approved a plan for the plane to eventually be transferred to President Trump's library after he leaves office. 'These reports raise the troubling possibility that the department, and Attorney General Bondi personally, were integral to this scheme by crafting a legal justification to enable the president to circumvent the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, federal bribery and ethics laws, and Congress in order to acquire one of the largest foreign gifts in our history,' the senators wrote, according to a copy of the letter obtained by The New York Times. The letter was led by Senator Adam Schiff of California and was also signed by Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Alex Padilla of California, Peter Welch of Vermont and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. It came as the United States formally accepted the gift of the jet, which industry executives estimated to be worth about $200 million, and which will require extensive work before it can be considered secure enough to carry Mr. Trump. The senators questioned Ms. Bondi's involvement given her previous work as a lobbyist who counted Qatar among her clients. Any role she played in the transfer of the plane, the senators wrote, was a 'plain conflict of interest that undermines the public's trust.' Members of Congress from both parties have repeatedly expressed concern over the plane deal. They have said the Qataris might be trying to unduly sway Mr. Trump, that it may not be financially prudent to refit the plane with necessary security measures only to eventually transfer it out of government service and that Mr. Trump's urgent desire for a new plane might pressure contractors to work quickly and cut corners. Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the minority leader, has already targeted Ms. Bondi's involvement, announcing that he would place holds on Justice Department nominees until Ms. Bondi explained why she approved the arrangement. The effects of his move would likely be limited, slowing nominations by requiring the Senate's Republican majority to take procedural votes. On Monday, Mr. Schumer introduced a bill that would essentially block the deal by barring the Pentagon from using any federal dollars to buy, modify or maintain such an aircraft for the president's use. Other Democratic lawmakers have also introduced nonbinding resolutions that would require the White House to seek approval before accepting the plane as a gift.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Trump insiders shed light on Qatar's $400 million jet offer
A damning new report has thrown cold water on President Donald Trump's repeated claims that Qatari officials have offered him their $400 million jumbo jet as a 'gift' to replace aging Air Force One planes. Trump has boasted on his Truth Social page that the private Boeing 747 is a 'GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE,' and it would be a temporary replacement for Air Force One. Afterward, it would be donated to his presidential library. Leaders on both sides of the aisle have criticized the president over the supposed gift - urging him to be wary of accepting a 'bribe.' But CNN now reports that the Trump administration had actually first reached out to Qatari officials about the jet they had been trying to sell since at least 2020. The network claims that Boeing had informed the Trump administration shortly after he took office in January that the company would not be able to deliver replacement parts for the aging presidential jets until 2027. At that point, the White House Military Office - which oversees presidential travel - worked with Boeing and the Department of Defense to compile a list of every late model 747 on the market with a business-jet layout, which could easily be retrofitted into a presidential plane. However, only eight planes in the world fit the bill - including the flashy double decker Qatari jet, according to the New York Times. It wound up greatly appealing to President Trump, with its brochure boasting 'soft fabrics of the highest quality' in the bedroom along with 'luxurious leather and exquisite wood veneers' and a 'lavishly designed bathroom' that is 'almost a piece of art.' At that point, Trump ordered Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff (pictured) to begin negotiations with Qatari officials with whom he was intimately familiar after the country's sovereign wealth fund bailed him out of a failed real estate deal in New York City in 2023. By mid-February, the Times reports, Qatar agreed to send the jet to Florida while Trump was at his Mar-a-Lago resort so he could see it first hand. He was apparently taken away with the jet that features a master bedroom, a guest bedroom, two full bathrooms with showers, nine smaller lavatories, five small kitchens, and a private office. It also comes with oversized couches and recliners, wood paneling, and more than 40 televisions, including 10 big-screen TVs. But with all of the features, aerospace engineer Marc Foulkrod said there would be a limited number of prospective buyers. The major airlines would not be interested in purchasing the plane because it was not configured for commercial use, he explained. The plane also has four engines and is expensive to maintain and operate. Getting parts over time will also become more difficult as the model is no longer manufactured. But, Foulkrod said, 'You might find that one-off guy that has a super ego that wants to buy one and ride around in it.' It now appears the Qatari officials found that 'guy' with Trump, who the Times reports was left marveling at what he had seen as he was forced to fly back to Washington DC on one of the existing Air Force One 747s. From there, negotiations with Qatari officials ramped up. Yet the initial discussions centered around the possibility of leasing the plane rather than buying it. It is now unclear when the conversations shifted from buying the luxury jet to accept a government-to-government gift. One senior White House official claimed that Qatar first raised the option of offing the jet as a potential gift - or at least that Qatari officials were 'agreeable' to the idea of a no-charge, government-to-government transfer when it came up. A second official claimed Witkoff had always believed the transaction would be a donation, while a third claimed Qatari officials volunteered the idea of a donation. Ultimately, White House officials said they came to the conclusion that a donation would be simpler and quicker than a sale. But Qatari officials reportedly believed they were selling the jet, with one official telling the Times that no decision has been made yet about transferring the plane to the United States and that legal Qatar's Defense Ministry and the US Department of Defense are still reviewing the legal terms. 'This is a very simple government-to-government dealing when Ministry of Defense and Department of Defense are still exchanging the possibility of transferring one of our 747-8 to be used as Air Force One and it's still under legal review,' Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani told CNN. 'At the end of the day, if there is something that the US [needs] and it's completely legal and we can, we are able to help and to support the US, then we are not shying away.' He added that 'of course the offer would be withdrawn if the transaction were deemed illegal.' Meanwhile, the White House has doubled down on its assertion that it is getting the new plane for free from Qatar. On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the plane is a 'donation to our country,' adding that the government and the royal family 'has offered to donate this plane to the United States Air Force, where the donation will be accepted according to all legal and ethical obligations.' But the news of the gifted plane sent politicians worrying about its legal and ethical consequences. 'The Constitution in Article II talks about how the president can't take emoluments or gifts from foreign leaders,' Sen. Rand Paul , R-Ky., said on Fox News. 'We're not talking about a ride on the plane; we're talking about the entire $400 million plane. I think it's not worth the appearance of impropriety.' The Constitution states that no president should accept 'any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever,' without 'the consent of the Congress.' Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., also told reporters: 'It would be better if Air Force One were a big, beautiful jet made in the United States of America.' Trump's home state senator, Florida Republican Rick Scott, was more blunt in his assessment. 'I'm not flying on a Qatari plane,' Scott said. 'They support Hamas. I don't know how you make it safe.' But Trump has since hit out at his detractors as he expressed his concern that his 2018 order for new planes to replace the aging fleet has been continuously delayed by Boeing. '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 posted online. 'Anybody can do that! The Dems are world class losers!' Trump sneered.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Congress could crush Trump's Qatari plane gift
President Donald Trump's desire to accept a luxury jet from Qatar has hit political turbulence, scrambling the usual battle lines on Capitol Hill as lawmakers weigh action. Trump's move is deeply unpopular — a gift for Democrats and a reckoning for Republicans. Critics, including within his own party and among MAGA allies, cite security risks, taxpayer costs and ethical concerns. Democrats are weighing tools to block the deal, such as sticking amendments into defense legislation to stymie it. Even if they can't get enough frustrated Republicans to vote against the president, the effort could still box in the administration, put pressure on Qatar and force the GOP into painful political territory. The White House must now determine whether the jet is worth risking a string of plane-related votes that could inflame GOP divisions and hand Democrats a strong attack line ahead of a volatile midterm cycle. Here's how Congress could block Trump's ability to accept the Qatari plane. Stick it in must-pass defense bills Lawmakers could tack an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act that would block or limit the deal. Members of the Armed Services Committees could offer these provisions when the panels hold markups for their versions of the bill. Such language might shape negotiations between the House and Senate when they work to reconcile their bills. And chamber-wide votes could force Republicans to choose between their allegiance to Trump and longstanding national security norms. The must-pass defense bill is likely Congress' best shot at implementing any Air Force One measure. If negotiators can craft language as part of a compromise defense bill, lawmakers and Trump would need to accept it or reject the entire bill. Straightforward block Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday unveiled a bill to block the use of a foreign aircraft for Air Force One, framing Trump's plan as a historic national security risk with an undercurrent of corruption. The bill would bar the Pentagon from using any federal dollars to buy, modify or maintain such an aircraft for the president's use. Rep. Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.), the House Foreign Affairs Committee's top Democrat, has introduced similar legislation to block federal funds from being used to transfer a foreign-owned plane to the U.S. government or Trump's presidential library. It would also require the administration to submit to Congress all relevant communication related to the plane involving the State Department, the National Security Council or Qatar. The odds of either bill making it to the floor in a Republican-controlled Congress are slim, barring a major GOP revolt. But by putting their objections in formal legislation, those bills provide Democrats with a sharp messaging tool about accountability. Speed up the planes in the shop Trump pushed for the Qatar plane as a cost-saving stopgap due to massive delays in the Air Force's program to replace the current fleet with two Boeing planes. Darlene Costello, an Air Force acquisition official, told Congress this month that Boeing projects delivery in 2027, but only if officials reduce the requirements. The White House separately estimated the replacement won't be ready until 2029, after Trump's term is up. Defense-focused lawmakers could push to speed up the planes' delivery, especially if they're concerned about the security implications of using a Qatari jet. The Air Force awarded Boeing a $3.9 billion contract to retrofit two planes during Trump's first term. (The president argued his involvement saved the government money on the deal.) Boeing has since lost more than $2 billion on the project because the contract's fixed price left it on the hook to cover the cost overruns. 'The Boeing proposal continues to lag behind expectations,' Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker said in an interview. 'One of the solutions might be for Boeing to simply redouble their efforts, to do what they can.' A Senate stop sign Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) is protesting the gift by introducing a resolution to block a $1.9 billion arms sale to Qatar. Congress can use a joint resolution of disapproval with the power, under the Arms Export Control Act, to halt military or logistical aid to a foreign country. While it would automatically get a floor vote, Congress has never successfully blocked a foreign arms sale via joint resolution. Still, lawmakers are using the resolution to pressure Doha to back down. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), a cosponsor of the resolution, has argued 'that bribing an American president is one of the fastest ways to poison your relationship with the United States.' Holding up nominees Democrats could also look to jam up Trump's Pentagon personnel roster. Schumer last week declared that he'd place procedural holds on all political nominees to the Justice Department until he gets answers from Attorney General Pam Bondi, who signed off on the legality of the jet deal in a memo. But this approach isn't likely to do more than add some additional hurdles to their confirmations. Senate Democrats, who are in the minority, can't block nominees' confirmations without Republican support, which is unlikely. Oh, right, the Constitution The House Judiciary Committee's Democrats, led by ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin, are using the Constitution as a political lever. They're introducing a resolution that invokes the Constitution's Foreign Emoluments Clause, which bars federal officials from accepting gifts or payments unless Congress allows it. It asserts that accepting such a 'flying bribe' without congressional consent breaches constitutional safeguards against foreign influence. The resolution, while nonbinding and symbolic, is a tactical move. If the resolution ever came to the floor, it would put lawmakers on the record about their views and lay the groundwork for further legal, legislative or political pressure.
