Donald Trump has created a new firestorm by accepting a $400 million dollar luxury jet from the royal family of Qatar. Lawmakers and political commentators alike are just beginning to process the shock of this stunning decision. If received, this aircraft would be the largest foreign gift ever made to the United States government. To be sure, the implications of this transaction have launched a tsunami of serious concerns about national security, ethics and constitutional issues.
One of the most vocal opponents to the gift was Republican Senator Ron Johnson. He pointed out the dangers in accepting such an expensive gift from a foreign power. Senator Susan Collins added her voice to the chorus of concern. Second, she correctly identified Trump’s frustration at Boeing for delays in delivering a new presidential plane. She is just as determined to spread the word that accepting a free-used-still-in-the-box jet isn’t the answer.
“The transaction strikes me as being rife with political espionage, ethical and constitutional problems,” – Sen. Susan Collins
Further, Trump has signaled that the acceptance will be followed by the formal acceptance of the jet and transfer of custody to the U.S. Department of Defense. By the end of his second term, ownership of the project will be transferred to Trump’s presidential library foundation. It would be the first time this important transfer has occurred. It is this short timeline that has deeply raised Collins’ worry. In response to the announcement, the incoming chair of the House’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Rep.
“Ultimately, I don’t understand why we would pursue this for the new aircraft that the president needs,” Collins remarked, emphasizing her doubts about the necessity of acquiring a new Air Force One under these circumstances.
Senator Rand Paul wishes Trump would refuse the donation of a new jet. First, he underscores that there is bipartisan interest in taking it up, but go. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has vocally opposed the deal. In response, he announced a moratorium on Trump’s nominees to the Department of Justice as a form of protest. Even as recently as this spring, Majority Leader Schumer called the gift of those jets a “serious national security risk.”
“The plane would have to be thoroughly scrubbed to ensure that listening devices had not been implanted. That would take a great deal of time, to make sure that it meets the security standards that the president needs,” – Sen. Susan Collins
As this situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how Trump will navigate the political backlash while addressing his aviation needs. Accepting an, albeit generous, gift of such magnitude from a foreign government raises troubling questions. It upends what we think we know about international relations and national security.