Trump justified accepting a $400 million plane as a gift from Qatar

A lavish gift for Trump

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President Trump justified accepting a $400 million luxury Boeing 747 from the Qatari royal family after media reports of the deal sent waves through the political world ahead of his tour in the Middle East.

No clear resolution

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Qatari officials told CNN that the deal had not been cleared yet, and their respective legal departments were still reviewing it. They also said the transference would be temporary.

A new presidential plane

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ABC News first reported the deal, saying the White House planned to ask the Air Force to adapt the plane for its use as Air Force One, the presidential plane.

Accepting foreign gifts

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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said any foreign gift "is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws. President Trump's Administration is committed to full transparency," the BBC reported.

A lavish gift for Trump, No clear resolution, A new presidential plane, Accepting foreign gifts, Legal consultations, Defense exchange, Presidential library, Personal use, Justifying it, "Anybody can do that!", Delays in new planes, Adaptations, Business deals, Unconstitutional

However, ABC News said its sources confirmed that lawyers for the White House counsel's office and the Department of Justice had drafted an analysis for the Department of Defense.

Defense exchange

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According to the outlet, the plan is for the Qatari Ministry of Defense to transfer the airplane to the Department of Defense, which will donate it to the Trump Presidential Library.

Presidential library

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ABC News said that General Attorney Pam Bondi suggested the plan as a workaround for President Trump to receive the airplane without breaking the constitutional clause that prohibited it.

Personal use

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According to Forbes, keeping the plane in that condition would allow President Trump to use it personally after his presidency ends, raising even more ethical questions about the gift.

Justifying it

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Still, the president justified the action on social media, AP News said. Trump posted, "The Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE," he said, "in a very public and transparent transaction."

"Anybody can do that!"

A lavish gift for Trump, No clear resolution, A new presidential plane, Accepting foreign gifts, Legal consultations, Defense exchange, Presidential library, Personal use, Justifying it, "Anybody can do that!", Delays in new planes, Adaptations, Business deals, Unconstitutional

He complained about Democrats signaling the ethical issues with the gift. "They insist we pay TOP DOLLAR for the plane. Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!!," he said.

Delays in new planes

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Boeing landed a contract to build new airplanes to replace the decades-old Air Force One jets the presidents currently use, but construction hit delays, and Trump's White House justifies temporarily using the gift.

Adaptations

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However, a Defense official told The New York Times that adapting the gifted jet to the Air Force's security standards would also take time. "We are talking years," they said.

Business deals

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Another angle of questioning has been Mr. Trump's family business interests in Qatar. According to AP News, his sons recently signed a contract to build a luxury golf resort in the country.

Unconstitutional

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The attacks came from across the board. Democrat lawmakers accused the president of doing something unconstitutional. Legally, Congress has to approve gifts from foreign states.

Bribery

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Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer poked fun at the president in a statement collected by AP News. "Nothing says 'America First' like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar," he said. "It's not just bribery, it's premium foreign influence with extra legroom."

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