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Qatar responds to reports of $400m luxury jet gift to Donald Trump
Reports claimed that the Qatari royal family is expected to present a luxury plane as a gift to Donald Trump during his upcoming visit to the country.
Qatar on Sunday acknowledged discussions with the United States for the transfer of a luxury plane to be temporarily used as President Donald Trump's Air Force One carrier but denied reports that the jet “is being gifted” or that a final decision had been made.
Reports suggested that Donald Trump will use the luxury aircraft at his presidential plane until shortly before he leaves office in January 2029. The ownership will then be transferred to the foundation overseeing his yet-to-be-built presidential library.
ABC News reported that the Qatari royal family is expected to present the $400 million gift to Trump during his upcoming visit to the country. Trump's visit also includes stops in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the first extended bilateral visit since assuming power on January 20 this year.
Reacting to the report, Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s media attaché, in a statement said, “Reports that a jet is being gifted by Qatar to the United States government during the upcoming visit of President Trump are inaccurate.”
“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 said.
Is it legal for Trump to accept gifts?
The American Constitution's Emoluments Clause bars any individual holding government office from accepting any emolument, present, office or title from any “King, Prince, or foreign State,” without consent from the US Congress.
Kathleen Clark , an expert on government ethics at the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, alleged that Trump believes that he can “get away” from scrutiny and described the development as “outrageous.”
Donald Trump is being “committed to exploiting the federal government’s power, not on behalf of policy goals, but for amassing personal wealth,” she told AP.
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. It’s not just bribery, it’s premium foreign influence with extra legroom,” the New York Democrat said in a statement.
According to a former US official, Trump intends to add secure communications and other classified elements to the luxury gift before starting to use it for his official purposes. He also claimed that the new gift will 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.
