Here’s what’s going on: the Trump administration is accepting 에이 $400 million luxury jet from Qatar. This customized Boeing 747 has been called a “flying palace” and may be the most expensive gift ever given to the United States. 

The Trump administration and the Qatari government have called this exchange a transaction between the Qatari ministry of defense and the United States Department of Defense, and claimed it’s totally above board.

But that doesn’t pass the laugh test. Trump has shared his plans to personally benefit from the gift. When he leaves office, the plane will be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation.

In other words, the plan seems to be:

1. Accept a luxury plane from Qatar using the power of the presidency.
2. Use it as Air Force One for a little while, and retrofit it at taxpayer expense.
3. Keep it for Trump’s foundation after leaving office.

That’s a pretty good deal – for Trump. But it’s a terrible one for the American people and our democracy.

Here’s what the law says about expensive foreign gifts, and why it matters:

According to the U.S. Constitution, Congress must approve any gift from a foreign country to a U.S. official. One of the most famous times Congress followed this rule was in 1877, when it approved France’s gift of the Statue of Liberty.

There’s a reason Congress is supposed to approve gifts from foreign governments: it’s to stop bribery and foreign influence. Think about it: if foreign countries can hand out million-dollar presents to U.S. presidents, who will the president feel more loyal to, his constituents, or another government?

In this case, the gift might have something to do with the Trump Organization’s business dealings in Qatar, which now include investing $5.5 billion in a golf resort. By accepting this gift, Trump has shown once again that he sought the presidency to put money in his own pockets, not to look out for what’s best for America.

The Attorney General Used To Lobby For Qatar – Now She’s Trying To Make Legal Excuses For Trump’s Corruption

Congress hasn’t approved this gift, and even some Republicans in Congress have called it out, saying the lavish plane goes too far and raises serious national security risks.

But instead of turning down the gift, Trump’s team is trying to find a way around the law. Attorney General Pam Bondi has been attempting to argue that this transfer is legal. But it’s important to note that Bondi was a lobbyist for Qatar from 2019 to 2020. Her former lobbying firm was making $115,000 per month lobbying for the Qatari government. 

This means that the person leading the charge in support of this gift was being paid by Qatar not long ago. 

Retrofitting This Plane Could Cost Taxpayers $1 Billion

Right now, the plane Trump wants to accept is not equipped with the proper security systems, and fixing this will cost the American people a ton of money. 

While “Air Force One” technically refers to any plane that carries the President, the planes that make up the Air Force One fleet are specially outfitted to be incredibly secure. They’re basically flying fortresses, equipped with high-tech communications, defenses against nuclear threats, and the ability to help the president run the country even in a crisis. The current fleet is in need of replacement, but this gifted jet doesn’t actually solve that problem.

That’s because replacing Air Force One isn’t as simple as acquiring a normal commercial jet. This plane from Qatar wasn’t designed to be Air Force One, and experts say it would be risky, impractical, and unethical to use it as such. Turning this 747 into Air Force One could take years and cost $1 billion, as it would have to be disassembled and then reassembled for security reasons. 

So why does Trump want this plane?

Because when his presidency ends, the aircraft will be handed over to his presidential library foundation. That means Trump would get a private, $400 million plane courtesy of a foreign government.

Let’s Be Clear: None of This is Normal

It’s not normal for a U.S. president to accept a luxury jet from a foreign country. It’s not normal for the attorney general to give legal cover to a deal when she used to be paid by that same country. It’s not normal for a U.S. leader’s company to invest $5.5 billion in a golf resort in the country that just gave him a massive gift. And it’s not normal for a president to plan to keep a massive gift like this for himself.

This isn’t how democracy is supposed to work. The president isn’t supposed to be for sale to the highest bidder.

Americans deserve better. We need leaders who work for us — not for luxury jets, shady deals, or foreign cash.