Donald Trump has been slammed for accepting a luxury jet from Qatar. Meanwhile, Trump is currently on a four-day trip to the Middle East, where he will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The plane, worth around $400m, would be handed over to the US Air Force first before being used by Trump until the end of his second term. After that, it would transfer to his presidential library foundation, possibly as early as 1 January 2029.
Congressman Jamie Raskin also took aim, tweeting: “Trump must seek Congress’ consent to take this $300m from Qatar. The Constitution is perfectly clear: no present of any kind whatever from a foreign state without Congressional permission. A gift you use for four years and then deposit in your library is still a gift (and a grift).”
Terrorism
It comes as a clip of Trump criticising Qatar over ‘high-level sponsorship of terrorism’ has gone viral.
The video is from Trump’s first term in office back in 2017, where he accused Qatar of being a “high-level” sponsor of terrorism in a speech to reporters at the White House, which was reported on at the time.
Call to Activiam shared the clip and wrote: “EXCLUSIVE: We dug up a video of Donald Trump trashing Qatar in 2017 calling them “funders of terrorism.” I’m sure he would hate if this clip changed their mind to give him a $400 million plane – so definitely don’t repost it.”
Qatar
Donald Trump has left Saudi Arabia after a host of meetings, travelling to the second stop of his Middle East trip: Qatar.
Shortly, he will land in the Qatari capital Doha, where he will participate in a state visit with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and other officials.
Sheikh Tamim, 44, has been in power since June 2013 after his father stepped down.
