Plane Corruption: Trump to Accept $400 Million “Palace of the Skies” Gift from Qatar
In a blatant display of presidential corruption, Donald Trump is reportedly planning to replace Air Force One with a $400 million luxury airliner gifted to him by the Qatar royal family.
Described as a “palace of the skies,” the Qatari 747-8 would replace the nearly 40-year-old VC-25As currently operating as Air Force One until the end of Trump’s term. According to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, it would likely become the most expensive gift a United States president has ever accepted from a foreign government.
Democrats and Republicans alike expressed outrage over the plan. “Nothing says ‘America First’ like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar,” mocked Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer. “I don’t think it looks good or smells good,” echoed GOP Sen. Rand Paul.
“I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer,” Trump told reporters. “No, we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane.”
The Constitution’s Emoluments Clause forbids public servants from accepting lavish gifts from “any King, Prince, or foreign State.
Trump Loyalists Express Disapproval Over Qatar Jet Deal
In a rare example of insubordination, several of Trump’s Republican allies have expressed skepticism over the president’s outrageous plan to accept the $400 million gift airliner from Qatar.
“I’m not a fan of Qatar,” Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told reporters. “I think they have a really disturbing pattern of funding theocratic lunatics who want to murder us,” he added, referring to Hezbollah and Hamas militants.
Although Trump has claimed that the jet is a free gift, it would nevertheless require extensive military upgrades to meet presidential travel and security requirements, necessitating an indeterminate amount of taxpayer funds to finance. As experts fear foreign agents might use the plane as a Trojan horse to access U.S. government communications, sweeping the plane for listening devices would present a massive undertaking for the Air Force and Secret Service.
“I also think the plane poses significant espionage and surveillance problems,” Cruz warned, echoing the concerns of his Democratic colleagues. “We'll see how this issue plays out, but I certainly have concerns.”
“They support Hamas,” Republican Sen. Rick Scott added. “I don’t know how you would make it safe.”
Chuck Schumer Vows to Obstruct Trump’s Justice Department Nominees in Response to Accepting Qatari Bribe
Calling Trump’s decision to accept the $400 million airliner “naked corruption,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced on Tuesday that Democrats will obstruct the confirmations of all of Trump’s Justice Department nominees until the White House agrees to answer Senators’ questions regarding the alleged bribe.
“In light of the deeply troubling news of a possible Qatari-funded Air Force One, and the reports that the attorney general personally signed off on this clearly unethical deal, I am announcing a hold on all DOJ political nominees, until we get more answers,” Schumer said in a Senate floor speech.
Among his list of demands, Schumer wants Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi, who formerly worked as a lobbyist for the government of Qatar, to testify before the Senate regarding the deal’s constitutional legality.
Newark Mayor and New Jersey Gubernatorial Candidate Arrested by ICE at Detention Facility
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democrat and outspoken critic of President Trump’s immigration policies, was arrested last Friday by masked ICE agents outside a 1000-bed migrant detention facility run by the Geo Group, a notorious private prison business.
Witnesses say Baraka was detained after trying to join New Jersey’s Democratic congressional delegation — Reps. Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman — in their attempt to enter the facility to survey living conditions. Protesters who went with the delegation recalled “yelling and pushing” as federal officers swarmed the mayor and placed him inside an unmarked vehicle.
Despite standing on the public side of the gate outside the prison alongside protestors, Baraka was arrested on trespassing charges, allegations the mayor vehemently denies. “I’m not on their property. They can’t come out on the street and arrest me,” he said moments before being detained.
In a disturbing escalation, the Trump administration is also exploring charges and arrests against the members of Congress who visited the facility with Baraka. In a CNN interview, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin announced that “there will likely be more arrests coming,” as she accused New Jersey’s congressional delegation of assaulting law enforcement during the visit.
Contrary to these allegations, the Democrats insist they were the ones who were unnecessarily confronted by federal agents. “Threatening to arrest Members of Congress for exercising their lawful oversight authority is another example of this administration abusing its power to try to intimidate anyone who stands up to them,” a Democratic spokesperson said.
“The masked agents who physically accosted two Congresswomen must be identified immediately and any trumped-up charges against Mayor Baraka dropped,” added Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “Keep your hands off of Members of Congress.”