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“President Donald Trump's administration intends to accept a Boeing 747-8 airplane as a gift from the Qatari royal family that would be outfitted to serve as Air Force One… The luxury plane, which would be one of the most valuable gifts ever received by the U.S. government, would eventually be donated to Trump's presidential library after he leaves office… A new commercial 747-8 costs approximately $400 million.” Reuters
“Trump dismissed ethical concerns about his plan… ‘I think it's a great gesture from Qatar. I appreciate it very much. I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer,’ Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving for a trip to the Middle East. ‘I mean, I could be a stupid person saying, 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane,’’ Trump said.” Reuters
Both sides are critical of the proposed gift:
“Qatar might feel that it’s owed at least Mr. Trump’s goodwill. If the emir calls the White House to share his views on Iran, Israel and the region, won’t he expect the President to pick up the phone? Should voters even have to wonder? It demeans the Presidency to have a foreign government handing out such a valuable gift to America’s elected leader. This isn’t France offering the Statue of Liberty for public display and enjoyment…
“Mr. Trump’s plan to take the Qatari jet is a political gift to Democrats. The GOP objected, rightly and loudly, to Hunter Biden’s influence peddling abroad while his father was in high office, followed by his selling art at inflated prices while President Biden sat in the White House. Now the Trump family is making much money in opaque sales of crypto-coins, while Mr. Trump says it’s simply good sense to accept a free jumbo jet from Qataris bearing gifts.”
Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal
“There is an Air Force One jet at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California. But it was used by seven presidents from 1973 to 2001 before being donated to the library in 2004. Reagan left office in 1989 after two terms as president, and passed away two months before the plane arrived at his library. When does Trump plan to receive the jet, and when does he plan to have it ‘decommissioned’ and sent to his future presidential library, wherever that may be?…
“It also isn’t a good look for the primary mode of transportation of the president of the United States to come from a foreign country, given potential surveillance concerns. No matter how much Trump tries to deflect, receiving a luxury plane from Qatar looks very much like a bribe, especially since the Trump family business struck a deal late last month to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar.”
Hafiz Rashid, New Republic
Other opinions below.
“The U.S. government has been planning to replace [the current Air Force One] with new models since 2018, at a cost of $3.9 billion, but work has been slowed by the fact that, due the extreme importance of the passengers it carries, everyone working on it has to have a special security clearance…
“The airframes also require heavy modifications. Among other things, Air Force One jets are outfitted with an anti-missile defense system, hardening against a nuclear strike, and the ability to refuel inflight. These modifications take time…
“Regardless of how much the administration decides to loosen the Air Force’s requirements for [the Qatari] plane, the work is expected to take long enough that Trump’s second term will nearly be over by the time it’s ready for use. Thus, all the taxpayer dollars that are being funneled into its renovation will mostly go toward its use by Trump as a private citizen, not as the president.”
Jeff Wise, New York Magazine
“In the first Trump Administration, son-in-law Jared Kushner maintained a backdoor relationship with Saudi tyrant MBS, who bragged he had Kushner ‘in his pocket.’… Trump’s first foreign trip was to Saudi Arabia, where Steve Bannon danced with swords and Trump did a [curtsy] to the Saudi king. In return, Kusher received a $2 billion investment for his fledgling firm…
“You see, it’s perfectly fine to dance with Saudis, accept Qatari money, and deal with Gulf states when you’re a Republican. You’re not accused of being an extremist, a terrorist, or a supporter of Hamas and jihadists. That’s only reserved for public Muslims… Even if it means pissing off the Islamophobes of the base, like Laura Loomer, the Trump Administration can’t pass up a lucrative opportunity.”
Wajahat Ali, The Left Hook
“Qatar likes to put on a Western-friendly face while shoveling money to Islamic terrorists under the table. This is a regime that has, for decades, funneled billions of dollars into the hands of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Taliban. We’re talking about systematic, ongoing financial support that has strengthened Hamas’ grip on Gaza, provided them with resources, and enabled terrorist attacks that killed innocent civilians…
“Doha, Qatar’s capital, has five-star hotels that are basically retirement hotels for Hamas leaders. Qatar has been credibly accused by the Treasury Department, international watchdogs, and regional allies of the U.S. of allowing financiers of Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and the Muslim Brotherhood to operate within its borders. This is a country that has repeatedly failed to crack down on terrorist financing, even after being pressured by the United States and Qatar’s neighbors.”
Ben Shapiro, Daily Wire
Some argue, “The real scandal here isn’t Trump’s temporary jet or Qatar’s diplomatic overture. The buried lede is that an elite American defense contractor can no longer deliver a presidential plane in a timely fashion. It reflects a deeper rot in the U.S. military-industrial complex — one that used to win world wars in less time than it now takes to build a new plane…
“Boeing’s delivery of the new Air Force One fleet is a part of the VC-25B program (begun under the Obama administration), which ‘will replace the United States Air Force Presidential VC-25A fleet.’ The government awarded Boeign the contract in 2018 with a target delivery date for 2024. But that date has since been pushed to 2027… The real story here is that Boeing, the Department of Defense’s premier contractor, has been delayed years on a project vital to national security.”
Brianna Lyman, The Federalist
