'Very bad idea': Republicans revolt over Trump scheme to get $400 million plane from Qatar

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Raw Story

May 11, 2025 3:43PM ET


ABC News on Sunday reported President Donald Trump is poised to accept “what may be the most valuable gift ever extended to the United States from a foreign government” — “a super luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from the royal family of Qatar” to be used “as the new Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office, at which time ownership of the plane will be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation.”

According to ABC News, “the gift is expected to be announced next week” after “lawyers for the White House counsel's office and the Department of Justice drafted an analysis for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth concluding that is legal for the Department of Defense to accept the aircraft as a gift and later turn it over to the Trump library.”

As AlterNet reported Sunday, the proposed gift — which aviation industry experts told ABC is estimated to value "about $400 million” — stunned Democrats and journalists alike. But, as news of the plane plan proliferated on social media Sunday, even some Republicans were concerned about conflicts of interest arising from the proposal.

“I’m sure the podcasters who are deeply alarmed by foreign influence will be all over this,” National Review editor Philip Klein wrote Sunday on X. “Call me a crazy RINO neocon, but I think it’s bad for the President of the United States to accept a $400 million ‘gift’ from an Islamist regime that funds terrorist organizations that murder Americans,” conservative writer and podcast host Ian Haworth argued. Conservative radio host Erick Erickson agreed.

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-gop-bad-idea-qatar/

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Took some time to sink in to the hypocritical GOP because IOKIYAR.

Article II

Section 1.

The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same term, be elected, as follows:

(snip)

The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services, a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that period any other emolument from the United States, or any of them.

(snip)

https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/articleii

[benfranklin1776]

1. An impeachable violation of the Constitutuon.

Under the section you cite and also Article 1 Section 9 of the Constitution:

[N]o Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under [the United States], shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.

https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/full-text

It seems the framers damn well intended that a President could not sell himself and the country down the proverbial river to foreign kings and potentates given their bitter experience with Benedict Arnold. 🤬

Since it’s clear that Congress has the exclusive power to approve or disapprove of such naked gift bribery, tomorrow we need to introduce a bill expressly barring such a gift to Benedict Donold and put his Rethuglican enablers feet to the fire on whether they will approve such criminality. Toothless public statements of “disapproval” and “concern” are not enough. Make them prove it with a vote.

Moreover this appears to be criminally prosecutable as well if he pushes ahead with it, since receiving bribes is outside of the President’s “core powers”under Roberts own a-textual, gratuitous and BS immunity test 😡

[BumRushDaShow]

15. Yes and thank you

I also have the link saved in a text file with a previous post on this subject and what happened in the SCOTUS with his past emoluments infractions - https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3178598

(didn't get chance to dig that up - have been multitasking doing judge research in between - completing my PA mail ballot to send in today! )

[benfranklin1776]

18. I understand perfectly as the list of judges is quite long!

And we really don’t know anything about them personally which is why the research is so important especially now as we need judges at all levels of government with the courage to maintain their fidelity to their oath to uphold our state and federal constitutions ✊🏼

[Deminpenn]

2. Grifters gonna grift

That's for sure.

[Layzeebeaver]

3. I've flown a simulator of a 747

a proper full emersion. actual cockpit with projection through the windscreen.

It was a pile of shite. like lifting weights for 30 minutes, thank heavens for the auto pilot functions.

later, we (my wife and I) flew the Airbus 320 simulator. OMG it was a sports car compared to the 747.

That said, he doesn't deserve it. Impeach him...

[BumRushDaShow]

4. My very first (and only so far) flight on a 747

(as most of my long hauls have been on wide-bodies like L-1011s or 767s) was to Cairo, Egypt on EgyptAir over 30 years ago. The flights within the country were all Airbus-manufactured planes.

What shocked me about it compared to the wide-bodies, was how LONG it was! Felt like it was a block long and couldn't see the rear of the plane from the front (plus of course the 2nd level, although that was always something promoted about them ).

[COL Mustard]

5. When I lived in Europe

The 747 was the go-to across the Atlantic. I flew to Germany a couple of times on an L-1011 but preferred a 747. The last time I flew on an L-1011 I was in the middle seat of a 3-6-3 arrangement. Not comfortable.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. My very first plane trip was on a 707 from Philly to London back in 1970

It was on the old Caledonian Airways. It was right around the time when they were merging with British United Airways but the planes still had the old logos.

I STILL have my flight bag from them (back when everyone got "free stuff" on flights)!!

Looks like this -



My first L-1011 flight was from Philly to Orlando (Disney World trip in 1975, a couple years after the park opened, then the 2nd leg a few days later was to Nassau, Bahamas). They were used by the now defunct Eastern Airlines (where you got more "free stuff" - some plastic "pilots' wings" ). That looked like this -

[COL Mustard]

22. Cool swag!

I wish the airlines still had stuff like that. It used to be an adventure to fly; now it's just a bus in the air.

[forgotmylogin]

16. The biggest, most beautiful, plane...

I bet it takes a whole lot of extra fuel to get that juggernaut up into the air so he can feel like he's in a penthouse palace while commuting to his golf course every weekend.

[Bengus81]

19. LOL...the 747 can haul 500+ passengers while the Airbus is 180.

Takes a bit more doing to pull that much weight into the air. 747's are what finally made flights to Hawaii and other places affordable. It's big and brutal and is why so many will still be carrying cargo for the next 20+ years.

[Scrivener7]

6. I'm sure they're very "concerned." But they won't tell him not to do it.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. There's A LOT of "back-tracking" going on at the moment

notably by Qatar, who just created an outrageous mess.

It was probably supposed to be a "hush hush" thing and the child went blabbing all around about it as usual.

[Scrivener7]

10. Sad that it's Qatar and not our own lawmakers.

[Bengus81]

9. Revolt?!? ROFLMFAO!! You milque toast fuckers have done NOTHING to stop this NAZI

and you won't now. Oh my...is this supposed to be stronger than "concerned"??

[twodogsbarking]

11. Finally took a ride in his Tesla and the doors wouldn't open when it caught fire.

An orange smoke cloud indicated that the poop has died.

[live love laugh]

12. This is their bridge too far?

[republianmushroom]

13. But that's his bribe, silly me, not bribe but tip.

[Mz Pip]

14. It's only a bad idea

because it’s so blatant. All the behind the scenes grift is just fine with them.

[Dem4life1970]

17. Yes not a gift it's a bribe. Let's call it what it is

[Clouds Passing]

20. They'll cave to orangeina in 3...2...1...

[kevinore]

21. Expect a strong GQP

I envisage a couple of GQP representatives in safe seats talking about the possibility of an investigation. Followed an outcry from republican leadership. Then, after a few days of hand-wringing, there is finally enough evidence to show that Joe Biden was given an expensive gift, so it happens on both sides, so there is nothing to see here. After two weeks of smearing Biden, claiming that the Democrats have TDS, somebody will point out that Biden accepted the gifts on behalf of the American People. Afterward, Biden could buy it at fair market value, or it would be sent to the National Archives.

We sure did tell them!

Democratic politicians need to start speaking loudly.