In a rare moment of unity, both critics and supporters of US President, Donald Trump are reacting with outrage over a luxury plane deal involving Qatar.
The controversy surrounds a $400 million (£300 million) Boeing 747-8 jet.
Qatar’s royal family intends to donate the aircraft to the US Department of Defense for use in the Air Force One fleet.
While the White House insists the deal is above board, many on both sides of the political spectrum remain unconvinced.
Trump’s opponents were quick to attack. But what’s more notable is how some of his loyal supporters have joined the chorus of criticism.
MAGA influencers have labeled the deal a “bribe,” “grift,” and a sign of the corruption Trump once vowed to eliminate.
The jet is expected to join the presidential fleet, which currently includes two aging 747-200s and several lower-profile 757s.
At the end of Trump’s term, the plane will reportedly be transferred to his presidential library.
After the deal was revealed Sunday, backlash was immediate.
“I think the technical term is ‘skeezy’,” said conservative commentator Ben Shapiro on his podcast.
“Qatar is not allegedly giving President Trump a $400m jet out of the goodness of their sweet little hearts,” he added. “They try to stuff money into pockets in totally bipartisan fashion.”
Shapiro and others pointed to long-standing allegations that Qatar has supported terrorist groups—accusations the Gulf state denies.
He called Qataris “the world’s largest proponents of terrorism on an international scale.”
Right-wing influencer Laura Loomer, usually staunchly pro-Trump, called the deal “a stain.” She shared a cartoon of a Trojan Horse reimagined as a jet packed with armed militants.
The Democratic National Committee added fuel by flying a banner above Mar-a-Lago that read: “Qatar-a-Lago.”
Even the New York Post, typically aligned with Trump, wrote: “Qatar’s ‘Palace in the Sky’ jet is NOT a ‘free gift’ – and Trump shouldn’t accept it as one.”
Mark Levin, a frequent Trump defender, joined in. On X, he wrote: “Their jet and all the other things they are buying in our country does not provide them with the cover they seek.”
Trump himself once accused Qatar of funding terrorism. Now, critics are calling him out for accepting such a lavish gift.
In response, the Qatari embassy pointed to an interview with Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani.
“It is a government-to-government transaction,” he said. “It has nothing to do with personal relationships… It’s between the two defence ministries.”
“Why would we buy influence in the United States?” he added. “This is not a one-way relationship.”
Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to criticism by promising “full transparency.”
“Any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws,” she said.
But many aren’t convinced. Doug Heye, a Republican strategist, said the optics are troubling.
“They very obviously see that if you reward Donald Trump with gifts, that may pay off down the road. Flattery gets you somewhere with Donald Trump, and we’ve seen that time and time again,” he said.
The US Constitution bars federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments. But the White House maintains the jet is a gift to the government, not to Trump personally.
Attorney General Pam Bondi reviewed the legality and found no wrongdoing, saying there were no strings attached.
However, Bondi previously worked as a lobbyist for Qatar, reportedly earning as much as $115,000 a month. That connection has raised eyebrows.
Further complicating matters, the Trump Organization recently announced plans for a luxury golf resort in Qatar.
At a Tuesday news conference, Trump scolded a reporter who questioned the deal.
“You should be embarrassed asking that question,” he snapped. “They’re giving us a free jet.”
“I could say ‘No, no, no, don’t give us, I want to pay you a billion or 400 million’… or I could say ‘thank you very much’,” he added.
Later, on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “The Boeing 747 is being given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME!”
“Only a FOOL would not accept this gift on behalf of our Country,” he added.
Even some Republican lawmakers raised concerns. Senator Rand Paul said the gift could influence U.S. policy toward Qatar.
“I wonder if our ability to judge [Qatar’s] human rights record will be clouded by the fact of this large gift,” he said.
Senator Ted Cruz warned of “significant espionage and surveillance problems.”
Others, like Senator Tommy Tuberville, were more accepting.
“Free is good. You know, we don’t have a lot of money right now to buy things like that,” he said.
Despite the outcry, some believe Trump will emerge unscathed.
“Trump has been able for years now to turn scandals that would otherwise be debilitating for other politicians into things that we forget. He’s very skilled at that,” said Heye.
(BBC)
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