Trump castigated for $400M jet offered by Qatar

The President of the United States once again finds himself at the center of controversy, as he prepares to accept a gift of a luxurious Boeing 747-8 from the royal family of Qatar.

An unprecedented move in presidential history, which many already consider a blatantly corrupt maneuver. The Trump administration has reportedly already expressed its intention to use the plane as a replacement for Air Force One, before handing it over to its future presidential library.

For their part, Democrats criticize Trump’s announcement that he would accept the gift without prior approval from Congress, as required by law.

Many reacted strongly to Trump’s announcement that he would accept the Qatari gift. Bernie Sanders denounced a «farcically corrupt» and «blatantly unconstitutional» decision, while Chuck Schumer blasted a gesture contrary to the American spirit, ironizing: «Nothing says America First like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar».

The acceptance of a gift of such value by a sitting president, directly from a foreign government, raises serious concerns of potential corruption, especially if it occurs without prior Congressional approval.

The mere risk of undue influence is enough to justify the alert, especially as even some of Trump’s highly controversial allies are concerned. This is the case of Laura Loomer, who declared on X that this decision «is going to be such a stain on the admin if this is true».

This week, Trump will begin his first official trip away from home, outside of Pope Francis’ funeral, with planned stops in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and… Qatar.