The royal family from Qatar gives the government a 400 million dollars expensive Boeing 747-8 Jumbojetwho is known as the “flying palace” and reports to the presidential library of Donald Trump should go. This is not the same as if France gives the American people the statue of freedom. But that’s exactly what finance minister Scott Bessent claims on Sunday.
Comparison with the statue of freedom causes criticism
“Even if Qatar is currently not asking for the jet, this calculation could be due at some point,” said Jake Tapper, moderator of the CNN program ‘State of the Union’. “Nobody just gives such a $ 400 million jet just to be nice.”
Finance Minister Bessent defends the gift in the CNN interview
“Well, I don’t know, Jake,” said Bessent. “The French gave us the statue of Liberty. The British gave us the resolute desk. I am not sure whether they asked for something in advance.”
“The more important aircraft deal was that there are orders worth $ 100 billion of cataric airlines to Boeing. … So I think that this aircraft deal is much more important than this other,” added Bessent.
Beselted reference to historical gifts such as Statue of Liberty and Resolute Desk
“Well, I just want to say to the Statue of Liberty that it was approved by the congress and belongs to the American people,” said Tapper. “She doesn’t belong to the one who was president at that time.”
Tapper contradicts: Statue of Liberty was approved by the congress
Besent’s reasoning reflects the opinion of conservative influencers like Ann Coulter Against, the X-Post of which was subjected to a factual test in a community note. It was pointed out that, in contrast to the aircraft, the congress had approved the acceptance of the Statue of Liberty.
Fact check and reactions to the comparison with the Statue of Liberty
The French people also gave the statue to the American people. And it became a public monument to which the public has access. However, the U.S. Air Force is handed over to Trump’s presidential library, as Trump announced. It remains to be seen exactly what that means. Will Trump continue to use the plane after his presidency? Will the public have access to the library? These details are not yet clear. Although Trump claimed that he would no longer use it after leaving office.
Unclear future: What happens to the jet?
It is clear that Trump apparently promised to “protect” Qatar. A government that Hamas has financially supported. And in the past with its enormous wealth bought political influence.
Political and economic relationships
“We have never had such close relationships with Qatar as now”, said Trump On his most recent Middle East trip. ‘We will protect you. “
Trump’s promise to Qatar: “We will protect you”
“We will protect this country,” he added. “It is a very special place with a special royal family. … they are great people and they will be protected by the United States.”
Constitutional concerns about the jet gift
Constitutional lawyers fear that the gift could violate the clause emrocers. It says that federal civil servants can accept “no gifts, remuneration, offices or titles of any kind of kings, prince or foreign states without the consent of the congress”.
Expert opinions: advantage only for Trump, not for the USA
“The gift of this special aircraft, the use of which in the next three and a half years … and then Donald Trump would go mainly for the rest of his life”, said Frank Bowman, legal professor at the University of Missouri, to Politifact. “This is a remuneration, as is the turn and turns, because the advantage benefits a single person.”
Bowman added that the fact that ownership of the aircraft reports should report from the Air Force to Trump’s library, “the idea that it is a gift to the country leads completely to absurdum”.
Criticism of possible transfer of ownership of Trump’s library
“The acceptance of the aircraft from Qatar would require the consent of the congress in accordance with the express provisions of the constitution,” said Stanley Brand, a renowned fellow for law and government on the Penn State-Dickinson Law School, opposite Politifact.
Safety concerns in dealing with the plane
National security experts also addressed possible problems with the acceptance of the aircraft.
Analyst warns of espionage potential through foreign manipulation
“I do not accuse the Qatarian government. But on the other hand, one cannot rule out that bad actors have their fingers in the game in this whole process and install listening devices”, said The aviation analyst and managing director of Aerodynamic Advisory, Richard Aboulafia, to NPR.
Further donations to Trump’s presidential library
The jet is not the only gift for Trump’s presidential library. According to a Source of the Wall Street Journal Excess donations from Trump’s inauguration committee are also transferred to the library. Gelder from Trump’s $ 22 million comparison with Meta (owner of Facebook) and 15 million dollars from the comparison with Disney (Owners of ABC News) also go to Trump’s foundation for the presidential library. There is no information on how these funds should be used.
Trump attacked ABC News on Saturday evening in a contribution to Truth. ABC reported first about the news of the aircraft from Qatar.
Comparative payments from Meta and Disney also flow in
“Why does the chairman Bob Iger do nothing against ABC fake news, especially since I just won $ 16,000,000 due to the wrong and defaming reporting from Liddle ‘George Slopadopolus”, ” wrote Trump.
“Everyone, including their lawyers, was said that ABC must not say that Qatar gives me a free Boeing 747 aircraft because that is not true,” continued Trump. “Instead, and as fake news ABC knows and understands, this highly respected country donates the aircraft of the United States Air Force/Ministry of Defense and not me. This saves you to save hundreds of million dollars to our country and the American taxpayers. Abc fake news is one of the worst media.”
“I warn these Sleea-bags,” he threatened.