Donald Trump is rightly getting hit from all sides for this one, including Democrats and the ever-famous “fake news media.” His plan to accept delivery of a $400 million dollar luxury emirate jet from the Qatari government has set off a firestorm. Trump today begins a four-day tour of these anti-democratic, wealthy Gulf states. He begins his trip in Saudi Arabia, generating quite a bit of controversy.
The airplane under consideration may be the oldest 13-year-old Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet. Trump is going to personally inherit it the moment he departs the White House. In response, critics are suggesting that accepting such an in-kind gift is just plain wrong and against Trump’s initial commitment to “drain the swamp.” Prominent voices in his own supporter base have started to find their voice. Commentary by right-wing commentator Ben Shapiro and activist Laura Loomer was unambiguously against the decision.
Through it all, Loomer has proved to be a fiercely loyal Trump surrogate, even claiming she would “take a bullet for him.” Yet, she condemned the present, calling it “such a stain on the administration.” She further asserted, “We cannot accept a $400m ‘gift’ from jihadists in suits.” Her remarks highlight the growing concern among Trump’s loyalists about the implications of accepting gifts from a nation linked to controversial entities like Hamas and Al Jazeera.
Here’s what Senator Rand Paul, Republican from Kentucky, had to say about it. These kinds of conflicts of interest, he said, raise significant questions about the appearance of impropriety. He continued, “It’s not worth it,” emphasizing that entering into the deal would destroy any notion of Trump as a dealmaker or truth-teller. Paul’s comments are indicative of an increasing sentiment among some Senate Republicans. They have begun to investigate whether to investigate this gift under the emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Besides Loomer and Paul, Shapiro personally attacked the move in a podcast released just last week. He remarked, “President Trump promised to drain the swamp – this is not, in fact, draining the swamp.” His critique strikes a chord with all of us who hope that the jets’ acceptance doesn’t derail Trump’s pro-competition, anti-jet agenda.
This controversy has galvanized both Trump’s most devout supporters and his most adamant detractors. In particular, right-wing agitators on social media have excitedly dunked on former President Trump’s own past statements. A clip from 2017 surfaced where he labeled Qatar as “a funder of terrorism at a very high level.” This discrepancy has opened the door to increased scrutiny and criticism.
The New York Post editorial board also chimed in, warning that “Qatar’s ‘Palace in the Sky’ jet is NOT a ‘free gift’ – and Trump shouldn’t accept it as one.” These kinds of statements make it clear why the gift might be seen as a type of political quid pro quo or payola.